Apple Offers Rare iPhone 15 Discounts in China Amid Slow Sales, Competition From Huawei, Xiaomi

Sales of Apple's latest iPhone 15 series of handsets have been far worse than previous models in China.

By Reuters | Updated: 15 January 2024 17:34 IST

Apple Offers Rare iPhone 15 Discounts in China Amid Slow Sales, Competition From Huawei, Xiaomi

Photo Credit: Reuters

Apple cut prices of some iPhone models by 5 percent

Highlights

The time-limited promotion will last from January 18 through January 21
Chinese iPhone sales dropped 30 percent YoY in the first week of 2024
Apple has not cut prices for its latest iPhone models in years

Apple is offering rare discounts on its iPhone models in China, cutting retail prices by as much as CNY 500 ($70, or roughly Rs. 5,800) amid growing competitive pressure in the world's biggest smartphone market.

The US tech giant cut prices of some iPhone models by 5 percent, its Chinese website showed on Monday. The time-limited promotion, branded as a Lunar New Year event, will last from January 18 through January 21 in a lead-up to the holiday in mid-February.

Sales of Apple's latest iPhone 15 series of handsets have been far worse than previous models in China.

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Home-grown rivals such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi offer competitive models, while sources have said some companies and government departments have been limiting staffers' use of Apple devices - mirroring US government restrictions of Chinese apps on security grounds.

Chinese iPhone sales dropped 30 percent in the first week of 2024 versus the same period a year earlier, Jefferies analysts said in a client note, having fallen 3 percent for all of 2023. Analysts expect the competitive landscape to get tougher this year.

Apple has not cut prices for its latest iPhones in years. The cuts come after it surprised the market by not raising prices for the iPhone 15 series at its September launch.

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Online shopping platforms including Pinduoduo have been slashing prices of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro by as much as 16 percent since the beginning of the year.

Nicole Peng, senior vice president of market research firm Canalys, said the discounts did not come as a surprise as Apple is under pressure to boost sales globally, and especially in China, amid intensifying competition and Apple fans' growing reluctance to upgrade.

"It is clear that Huawei is making a comeback," Peng said, "Some Chinese consumers may return to using Huawei as driven by patriotism."

Canalys expects Apple sales this year to stay flat worldwide while suffering a slight decline in China.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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iPhone 15

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Big upgrades over the 14
Excellent ergonomics, build quality
Very good all-round performance
Apple ecosystem benefits

Bad
Relatively slow charging
Expensive
Still a 60Hz display

Read detailed Apple iPhone 15 review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 6GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 17

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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