On London’s Oxford Street, one of the busiest shopping areas in the UK, pedestrians frequently pause to capture moments with their smartphones. A closer look reveals that many of these devices are from Chinese brands.
Inside a retail store operated by a British telecommunications carrier, several customers were browsing at an HONOR smartphone counter. “This model was launched in May last year. It features advanced AI functions and performs very well in photography and videography. It’s quite popular with consumers,” said an assistant sales manager surnamed Kevin at the store.
With nearly four years of experience in mobile phone sales, Kevin has been a witness to the development of the HONOR brand in the UK. “In the past, customers questioned what HONOR represented. Now, our phones have become the first choice for many buyers,” he said.
Since entering the UK market in late 2021, HONOR has launched multiple premium models priced between £700 ($945) and £1,700, all targeting the high-end segment.
According to Zhang Bin, CEO of HONOR UK, the market presents two distinctive characteristics: high-end models account for 70% of the market, and carrier channels contribute to another 70%. The market also features strong brand loyalty, robust premium demand, and highly concentrated distribution channels, Zhang added.
Addressing these dynamics, HONOR prioritizes foldable smartphones featuring lightweight designs, enhanced performance, and extended battery life.
“Compared with similar products, these foldable phones are thinner, lighter, and more stylish, which attracts many consumers to inquire about them,” Kevin said.
At the same time, HONOR has worked closely with telecom operators to roll out bundled promotions combining smartphones and tablets. At present, its products are available in more than 2,600 offline retail outlets across the UK.
“Market cultivation requires patience and long-term commitment,” Zhang Bin noted. Consumers need time to build trust; operators need time to verify cooperation models; and brands need time to gain a reputation.
To enhance its brand image, the company has continuously optimized product design, partnership models, and customer services. For example, in response to Europe’s multiple-operator and multi-frequency environment, HONOR devices ensure full-spectrum 5G coverage to guarantee stable signals; the company has also worked to address operators’ inventory concerns and streamlined after-sales services by replacing multi-step call transfers with one-touch direct connections.
According to Gao Xiang, marketing manager at HONOR, the company has expanded its business to nearly 30 European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, and Spain. In addition to smartphones, its laptops, tablets, and smart watches have also entered international markets.
“Our supply chain includes not only outstanding Chinese companies but also many partners from Europe and the United States,” Gao said. “We have also established research and development centers in countries such as Japan and France, enabling a globally distributed and deeply integrated innovation system.”
Beyond smartphones and tablets, several niche Chinese electronic products have also found popularity overseas.
SmallRig, an imaging accessories brand under Shenzhen Leqi Innovation Co., Ltd. in south China’s Guangdong province, has successfully entered the European market with a range of products designed for diverse imaging scenarios. Europe now accounts for over 30 percent of SmallRig’s global revenue. Its products, covering tripods, selfie sticks, batteries, lighting equipment, microphones, and more, are available in more than 300 photography equipment stores and supermarkets across over 30 European countries.
Zhou Yang, founder of SmallRig, said his entry into the imaging accessories sector was inspired by a specific request from a European user. In 2010, while working in cross-border trade in Shenzhen, Guangdong, Zhou was asked by a German photography enthusiast to find an accessory that could securely fix a power supply to photography equipment. After searching extensively through electronics markets and factories in Shenzhen without success, he decided to develop one himself.
“If I couldn’t find it, I decided to create it myself,” Zhou said. That decision marked the beginning of his first customized imaging accessory business for overseas markets. Since 2017, the company has collaborated with more than 1,300 photographers to develop over 2,700 customized imaging accessory products.
Leveraging the strong manufacturing supply chain in the Pearl River Delta region, SmallRig has developed a “fast manufacturing” capability characterized by small batches, high frequency, multiple categories, and rapid iteration.
From project initiation to warehousing, some products can be completed in as few as 21 days. In 2025, the brand launched more than 600 upgraded products, an average of 1.6 new products per day, and currently offers over 1,000 products on the market.
Zhou noted that user diversity is taken into account from the very beginning of product development. For example, tripod heights and handle ergonomics are optimized to suit the body characteristics of European users, while battery technologies capable of withstanding extreme cold are applied to meet the needs in Northern Europe.
“We believe the European market will continue to provide strong momentum for the brand’s long-term development,” Zhou said.
By Lyu Shaogang and He Qian
Source: People’s Daily
