China's smartphone shipment grows 1.1 pct in 2021

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Shipment in China's smartphone market rose 1.1 percent year on year to 329 million units in 2021, according to an industrial report published by global market research firm International Data Corporation.

The Chinese market saw significant shipment growth in the first quarter last year amid high industry expectations, a stable epidemic situation and policies to stimulate consumer demand, the report said.

Shipments in the second and the third quarters shrank due to falling consumer demand and supply shortage of some products, among others. The decline narrowed in the fourth quarter, driven by new product launches in December, according to the report.

In the fourth quarter of last year alone, China's market recorded 83.4 million units of shipment, down 3.5 percent year on year.