Smartphone brands in a rush to launch new products ahead of Tet

By Phong Ngo January 10, 2025 | 02:29 am PT

New smartphones have flooded the market ahead of Lunar New Year holdays (Tet) as manufacturers race to capitalize on the year-end shopping season with high-profile launches.

Since late November Chinese brands have been launching new devices in Vietnam, targeting the Tet shopping season after a period of sluggish sales. Within a month three flagship phones from Chinese brands hit the market, giving the segment momentum as consumers explore alternatives to Samsung and Apple offerings, as reported by Znews. This Tet falls on Jan. 25 to Feb. 2.

Oppo launched the Find X8 globally on Nov. 21, 2024, and made pre-orders available in Vietnam. The Find X8 marks the series' return after a two-year hiatus, and has garnered praise for its design, software and camera advancements.

On Dec. 12 Honor launched the Magic V3, a foldable phone priced at VND40 million (US$1,575). Touted as the thinnest and lightest foldable phone in the market, it has attracted attention but faces challenges in Vietnam’s niche foldable phone segment.

The Honor Magic V3. Photo courtesy of Honor

Nubia/ZTE launched the Redmagic gaming phone with powerful specifications, a distinctive design and competitive pricing, establishing it as a strong contender in the flagship category.

The mid-range segment too saw several notable models make their debut.

Vivo introduced its V40 series in early December; Oppo followed on Jan. 3, with a high-profile event marking the return of the Reno13 series. Xiaomi is set to launch its Redmi Note 14 series on Jan. 10.

Tet remains a critical sales window for mobile phone companies and retail chains following the new iPhone launch. A spokesperson for The Gioi Di Dong, Vietnam’s largest retail chain, said the slew of launches is offering consumers more choices and enabling retailers to increase revenues. "We expect financial solutions like 'Buy Now, Pay Later' to drive year-end shopping."

This year manufacturers are scheduling their product launches closer to Tet. Nguyen Lac Huy of retailer CellphoneS noted that recent years have seen a shortening of the shopping season. "This time we expect the peak to last only the final week before Tet."