Chinese mobile phones have undergone a remarkable evolution, from being initially looked down upon to now reaching all corners of the globe and dominating the global smartphone market. This development didn't just happen; behind it lies a story of resistance, strategy, and innovation that has led Chinese mobile phones to their current "throne."
According to Dicky Yuniarto (51), editor-in-chief of a Jakarta-based gadget technology media outlet, when Chinese phones first appeared in Indonesia, they were very different from what we see today. "I've been familiar with Chinese phones since the 2000s, which were just starting to come to Indonesia," Dicky said on Thursday (November 20).
"In terms of design, Chinese cellphones were still inferior to cellphone manufacturers from Europe and the United States (US) who dominated the market at that time, such as Nokia, Siemens, and Motorola," he added.
According to him, Chinese cellphones at that time prioritized function and offered features that cellphones made in other countries did not have, such as television features, which turned out to be popular with Indonesian users, especially those from the lower middle class.
According to data from global market research firm IDC, before 2010, the global mobile phone market was dominated by non-Chinese vendors with proprietary technology. IDC data for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2010 showed Nokia leading the market with a 28 percent share, followed by Apple with 16 percent, RIM (BlackBerry) with 14 percent, and Samsung with 11 percent.
"Decolonization of technology"
Top brands at the time focused on developing high-end devices, requiring large expenditures and long lead times to market. This situation created a significant market gap, particularly in the low-end segment in developing countries, which needed affordable, multifunctional devices.
Around 2008–2010, the term shanzhai became widely used to describe imitation or counterfeit products. Shanzhai products often infringed trademarks but also frequently added features not found in the originals.
"Initially, Chinese phones tended to copy designs and technology, but what they copied was then further developed to produce good innovations," said Dicky.
Despite its controversial image, shanzhai evolved into a symbol of grassroots innovation and creativity, as well as a form of resistance to the expensive and complex Western patent system, which had long restricted innovation to the wealthy.
