The latest report released by international market analysis firm Canalys shows that the overall sales of smartphones in Latin America in the second quarter of 2025 increased by about 2% compared to the first quarter, reaching 34.3 million units; Among the top five smartphone brands in terms of sales, besides Samsung, Chinese brands Xiaomi, Lenovo's Motorola, Honor, and Transsion occupy four seats. Among them, Xiaomi's mobile phone sales increased by 8%, reaching a record high of 6.7 million units. In recent years, the demand for smartphones in Latin America has been strong, and Chinese smartphone brands have covered various consumer groups with excellent design, high cost-effectiveness, etc. Their market share has been increasing year by year, and they are favored by local people. The market sales have achieved rapid growth. In a chain electrical appliance sales store in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, various brands of mobile phones are dazzling, and many Chinese phones are prominently displayed. Chinese mobile phone brands come in a variety of styles, and smartphones at various price points can meet the needs of different consumer groups, making them very popular, "salesperson Miguel told reporters. Brazil is the largest smartphone market in Latin America. In the second quarter of this year, Motorola smartphones accounted for approximately 24% of the total smartphone sales in Brazil, while Xiaomi and Realme accounted for 17% and 6%, respectively. According to the latest survey conducted by Brazilian data and statistics agency Nexus, over 60% of Brazilian respondents prefer Chinese electronic devices such as mobile phones, and 67% of respondents believe that China has more advantages in technological innovation. The Brazilian digital product industry information website "Unicom World" published an article stating that Chinese mobile phone brands such as Xiaomi and vivo sub brands JOVI and Realme are increasingly popular in the Brazilian market, helping the Brazilian mobile communication industry enter a new era. A Chinese smartphone with artificial intelligence performance and affordable price has landed in Mexico. ”Not long ago, Mexican media reported on Transsion's flagship phone launched in the country, emphasizing that this new phone has artificial intelligence capabilities such as text generation and intelligent image editing. In Mexico, Chinese mobile phone brands rank among the top in terms of brand awareness and sales, accounting for approximately 43% of the market share. Alamila, the market research manager of the "Competitive Information Department" of a Mexican consulting company, stated that in 2019, Chinese brand smartphones had nearly zero market share in the local market and have now become one of the best-selling phones in the area. "Chinese mobile phone manufacturers have conducted in-depth research and understanding of the needs of Mexican smartphone users, providing more affordable and superior performance mid to high end mobile phone products, gradually establishing a foothold in the fiercely competitive market." Recently, Honor launched a new model, the Honor 400 series, in Peru, equipped with a suite of 37 artificial intelligence tools, which can achieve multiple artificial intelligence assisted functions such as photo editing, assisted writing, and real-time translation. Recently, Honor has opened 13 physical stores in Peru, gradually expanding its local market share. Data shows that in the second quarter of this year, Peru imported about 3.78 million smart phones, of which, the number of Xiaomi and Glory mobile phones ranked the top two with 890000 and 830000 respectively, with an increase of 11.2% and 25.7% month on month respectively. Motorola and ZTE also had good sales. Most of the over 3.2 million smartphones imported in Ecuador in 2024 are Chinese brand phones. Jorge Cardme, General Manager of Duocell, an Ecuadorian mobile phone wholesale and distribution company, stated that local consumers value cost-effectiveness, as well as the speed, storage space, camera quality, and screen design of their phones. Chinese brand phones have a clear competitive advantage in these areas and are deeply loved by consumers. In Venezuela, Transsion and Xiaomi's mobile phone sales have grown rapidly, becoming the two most popular mobile phone brands in the country. In May of this year, these two mobile phone brands accounted for 50.6% of the local mobile phone market share. Focusing on innovation and localization strategy, Xie Yinzhi, a partner of Brazil's Yisi Group, has long been interested in investing in digital commerce and technology. He believes that the success of Chinese smartphone brands in the Latin American market is mainly based on their emphasis on localization strategy, which allows them to adjust product strategies according to local preferences, including functional configuration, internet celebrity marketing, user community construction, etc., and continuously expand their loyal user base in the local area. Chinese brand smartphones are starting to take the lead in terms of style and functionality, as well as design and innovation. ”Xie Yinzhi told reporters that Chinese brand mobile phones are leading the development of embedded artificial intelligence, foldable screens and other categories, not only at the conceptual level, but also reflected in tangible real products. Chinese enterprises are demonstrating a deeper pursuit of technological innovation and differentiated development. Simon Hernandez is a well-known self media blogger in the Colombian technology field. He has posted multiple review videos of Chinese brand smartphones on his social media account, stating that "Chinese brand smartphones strive for technological popularization and provide as many high-quality products as possible with higher cost-effectiveness, which is a major factor in their success." He said that many Chinese brand smartphones have provided high-end designs in photography, performance, battery life, and other aspects, and have made breakthroughs in key areas such as foldable screens and artificial intelligence, attracting many consumers. Industry insiders believe that Chinese brand smartphones are increasingly popular in multiple Latin American markets, with their innovative technology, unique design, and high cost-effectiveness, widely covering various consumer groups and having huge growth potential. In the future, the competitive landscape of the Latin American market will continue to accelerate changes. In order for various brands of mobile phones to further consolidate their long-term competitiveness, major mobile phone manufacturers need to adopt diversified and personalized operating models, provide more flagship products in the mid to high end and wider device ecosystems, and implement more comprehensive and down-to-earth marketing coverage strategies. These are crucial for achieving scale development and enhancing brand trust. China Latin America cooperation promotes win-win development. In Estrema, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, OPPO produced its first mobile phone in Brazil in 2024. Since entering the Brazilian market this year, JOVI has started localized production, and its factory located in the Manaus Free Trade Zone has achieved mass production. Mobile phone brands such as Transsion, Xiaomi, and Honor have all expressed plans to establish factories in Brazil or collaborate with local enterprises to carry out assembly business. JOVI Product Director Varga stated that collaborating on the production of mobile phones in Brazil is a strategic long-term decision, which means understanding local consumer needs and investing in local supply chains to provide smoother production, marketing, after-sales, and other services. In recent years, more and more Chinese mobile phone manufacturers have set up production lines or strengthened industrial cooperation with local manufacturers in Latin America, helping to enhance local manufacturing capabilities. In Tierra del Fuego, southern Argentina, the preferential policies of the free trade zone have attracted many Chinese mobile phone manufacturers. Motorola, currently the best-selling company in Argentina, has been localizing production in Tierra del Fuego since 2012, while Xiaomi, ranked third in sales, will begin its localization business in 2022. In October last year, Transsion began collaborating with Argentine consumer electronics company BGH Group to produce smartphones and other devices locally. Rosenfeld, the head of the consumer department of BGH Group, stated that cooperation in the mobile phone industry chain not only involves equipment manufacturing, but also modernization of production lines. Chinese enterprises bring technological innovation and cutting-edge design to Argentina, promoting the development of the local industry chain. Xie Yinzhi believes that Chinese mobile phone manufacturers implementing a localization strategy, while achieving rapid development, will help increase local employment and cultivate technical talents, which will be beneficial for accelerating technological accumulation, strengthening the competitiveness of the electronics industry, and further increasing local export capabilities. Claudia Yanucci, President of the Brazilian China Innovation Economy Research Institute, told reporters that strengthening cooperation in the mobile phone industry chain between Latin America and China will help companies gain a deeper understanding of consumer demand in the region, produce good products that are suitable for the market, help improve regional industrialization level, and achieve win-win development. (New Society)