Why Chinese Flagship Phones’ Bargain Appeal Won’t Last Forever: A Market Shift Ahead

The Rise of Chinese Flagship Phones: Better Products, Bigger Prices

The three words "Made in China" – ubiquitous and controversial. Pick up any mass-produced product today, and you’re likely to find these three words emblazoned on a label or plastic underside. In the smartphone world, Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Oppo have long been associated with impressive specs and prices to match. But have you ever wondered how these devices came to be, and what’s behind their recent surge in popularity?

From Clones to Originals

At the dawn of the Chinese smartphone boom, the sources of inspiration for these high-spec devices were obvious. Manufacturers like Huawei and OnePlus were once associated with producing – how to put it? – affectionate renditions of popular flagships. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro, released in 2018, took design and software cues from the iPhone XS, while the 2020 OnePlus 8T shared an uncanny resemblance with the Samsung Galaxy S20.

This proved to be a sustainable and lucrative business practice, as these Chinese brands were generally able to undercut the competition by fairly significant margins, offering consumers iPhone- and Samsung-rivaling products at more accessible prices. For the most part, this sentiment remains true for the mid-range models offered by these companies.

Better Products, Bigger Prices

However, following the smartphone industry’s shift to tiered flagship families, it seems there’s a new priority in mind for high-end Chinese mobile makers: overtaking the Western competition.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, for instance, retails for £1,299 (around $1,650) – that’s even more than the most expensive globally available slab phone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which starts at $1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,199.

And while other brands aren’t pushing the envelope quite as much as Xiaomi, phones like the Oppo Find X8 Pro (£1,050 / AU$1,799) and Honor Magic 6 Pro (£1,099) still approach or exceed the price of premium flagships from Apple, Google, and Samsung.

The Modus Operandi Changes

The modus operandi for Chinese flagship challengers has changed: where previously these companies sought to offer comparable performance at cheaper prices, now they’re focused on delivering better performance at bigger prices.

What Does This Mean for You?

So, if you’re looking for a powerful phone, don’t mind using Android, and aren’t particularly loyal to a major brand, it might be wise to pick up a high-powered Chinese phone before the de facto discounts disappear completely.

For more on the latest smartphones from all over the world – including the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT – be sure to check out our phone coverage. And for specific advice on the best Chinese phones, we’ve got you covered with our lists of the best Xiaomi phones, best Honor phones, and best OnePlus phones.

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