Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2025-08-16 12:07Core Insights - The Chinese air conditioning market is experiencing a significant shift, with Xiaomi surpassing Gree in online sales market share for the first time in July 2025, achieving 16.71% compared to Gree's 15.22% [2] - Xiaomi's annual growth rate reached 53.9%, positioning it as the third-largest player in the market, making it the only high-growth variable among the top three brands [2][6] - The competitive landscape is evolving, with Xiaomi's entry challenging the long-standing dominance of Midea and Gree, which have ruled the market for nearly two decades [6][19] Group 1: Xiaomi's Strategy - Xiaomi's approach leverages software to redefine hardware value, focusing on the smart home ecosystem, with over 70% of its air conditioning users connected online [7] - The company has established a significant partnership with Changhong, contributing approximately 60% of its revenue from air conditioning sales, but this has pressured Changhong's profit margins [10][11] - Despite its aggressive pricing strategy, Xiaomi faces limitations due to physical cost constraints, with a quality air conditioner priced no lower than 1900 yuan under ideal conditions [10][12] Group 2: Traditional Giants' Resilience - Midea and Gree maintain a strong defensive position through historical experience, scale, and control over the supply chain, which have proven effective against price wars in the past [12][13] - The market size of approximately 300 billion yuan allows these giants to leverage their scale, with Midea and Gree generating over 100 billion yuan in domestic sales, significantly outpacing their competitors [12][13] - The vertical integration in the compressor market, where Midea and Gree hold a combined 65% market share, further solidifies their control over the industry [13][16] Group 3: Future Competitive Landscape - The future competition is expected to shift from direct brand confrontations to a more nuanced "agent war" involving sub-brands, allowing giants to maintain their premium positioning while competing with Xiaomi [17][21] - Sub-brands like Midea's "Hualing" and Haier's "Tongshuai" have gained market share, indicating a strategic pivot to capture value in the price-sensitive segment without undermining the main brand [17][21] - The overall market dynamics are changing, with Xiaomi's entry prompting traditional players to adapt their strategies rather than engage in destructive price wars [19][20]