- Apple discounts up to CNY 500 on iPhone models in China from January 4-7.
- Huawei’s rise in the premium segment has intensified competition for Apple.
- The promotion also includes discounts on older iPhone models and other Apple devices.
Apple is offering rare discounts on its latest iPhone models in China to counter competition from domestic rivals, particularly Huawei. The promotion, running from January 4-7, provides discounts of up to CNY 500 on high-end iPhones, including the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
This comes as Apple faces challenges in maintaining its market share in China, the world’s largest smartphone market. Despite a slight recovery in the third quarter of 2024, Apple’s smartphone sales in China fell by 0.3%, while Huawei’s sales surged by 42%.
Apple Discounts iPhones to Counter Slowing Economy and Rising Competition in China
Apple is introducing a rare four-day discount event on its iPhone models in China, as it strives to maintain its position in the highly competitive smartphone market. The discounts, which run from January 4-7, offer up to CNY 500 off flagship models like the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, and CNY 400 off the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. Customers can also enjoy savings on older iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads, provided they use designated payment methods such as WeChat Pay or Alipay.
This promotion comes amid a challenging economic environment in China, marked by slowing growth and deflationary pressures. Consumer spending has been cautious, and inflation hit a five-month low in November. The Chinese economy’s struggles have made it harder for companies like Apple to drive sales, prompting the company to offer these rare discounts to entice cautious shoppers.
The increased competition from local smartphone brands like Huawei has been a significant factor in Apple’s declining market share in China. Huawei, which reentered the premium smartphone segment with locally-made chipsets, has been particularly aggressive in pricing its devices, with some models seeing reductions of up to CNY 3,000. This has made it harder for Apple to maintain its lead in the world’s largest smartphone market.
Apple briefly fell out of the top five smartphone vendors in China in the second quarter of 2024, but managed to recover by the third quarter. Despite this recovery, Apple’s sales in China still dropped by 0.3% compared to the previous year, while Huawei’s sales surged by 42%, signaling the growing strength of domestic competition.
Apple’s attempt to regain traction in China with these discounts highlights the intense competition it faces, especially from Huawei, as well as the broader economic challenges in the region.
“Apple is grappling with declining market share in China, the world’s largest smartphone market, where local manufacturers have intensified competition.”
