Honor, the Chinese smartphone brand spun out of Huawei Technologies, saw shipments soar in the latest quarter to become the country’s third-ranked brand, said research firm Counterpoint Research, which tracks hardware.
The brand’s swift rise comes after Huawei saw sales tank following sanctions imposed by the US that prevented it from sourcing chips.
Honor sold 96% more phones in the quarter ending in late September than in the corresponding period a year before, said Counterpoint, to grab a share of 15% of the market in China. It now ranks after Vivo and Oppo, with shares of 23% and 20% of the market, respectively.
Honor originated as a sub-brand of Huawei that specialised in low-end and midrange devices. This year, Huawei said it had sold the division to a consortium of buyers including the government of the southern boomtown of Shenzhen. The company has ramped up advertising and marketing in China since.
Overall sales of smartphones for the quarter fell 9% on the year, as demand stayed weak on ever-lengthening upgrade cycles. Xiaomi grew shipments 15% to attain a market share of 14%, putting it in fourth place. Apple ranked slightly behind, with a 13% share of the market.
