The company said this was notable in a quarter which saw the entire China market grow by just 5%. Other brands that showed double-digit gains were OPPO, Xiaomi and vivo.

Despite being owned by the same company — B.B.K. Electronics — OPPO and vivo have been engaged in a heated battle for the top spot in the China market. In January, OPPO became the top brand, only to be eclipsed by vivo when figures for the whole quarter were released.

The rise of these brands has been helped by the falling away of Huawei which has found it difficult to obtain parts due American sanctions.

Counterpoint senior analyst Yang Wang said: “realme grew at the fastest clip among major brands. Its distinctive yet effective marketing strategy appealed to budget-sensitive Gen Z audiences, who tend to look for premium features that support a social media, photography and gaming driven digital lifestyle.

"At the same time, the brand’s product portfolio kept pace with bigger established incumbents, in terms of product launches and key premium specs. At extremely competitive prices, the realme brand stood out among peers."

The tech analyst firm said the average selling price of smartphones in China had rebounded since the second quarter of 2020. But, apart from Apple, the ASP appeared to have peaked at about US$300, even though 5G devices dominated take-up.

“The mid and budget segments will be a key battleground in the next few quarters, and will no doubt garner the attention of all major manufacturers," said Wang. "This price segment is also the one where realme has a competitive edge with strong 5G offerings.

"In 2020, realme followed an aggressive product launch plan despite the pandemic, with the V, Q and X series covering all price points between US$100 and US$500. These reasonably priced models come equipped with premium features such as triple or quad camera setups, AI-powered chipsets, high refresh rate displays, long battery life, and slick form factors. They have been well received by pundits and consumers alike.”

Counterpoint said smartphone makers who wanted to forge ahead would also have to look to management of their supply chains for the rest of the year as the global semiconductor shortage worsened.

"In the very long term, however, we are still waiting for the emergence of the ‘killer’ app(s) that would put to sleep any doubt on 5G smartphone adoption. The timing of this will likely determine how far the current excitement over 5G can extend," the firm said.