Recession, US-China conflict, Huawei, Xiaomi… iPhone 15 sales, 4.5%↓ compared to the previous model
‘Second in sales’ Risk of losing the Chinese market… Discount event held for ‘Chinese New Year special’
Apple, experiencing sluggish sales due to the aftermath of the recession, China’s checks on the United States, and the revitalization of Chinese smartphone manufacturing, began to ‘capture the public sentiment in China’ by holding unusual discount sales.
Foreign media such as CNN reported on the 15th (local time) that Apple China’s website will reduce the price of the latest model, the iPhone 15, by up to 500 yuan (90,000 won) from the 18th to the 21st to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. Other products, including MacBooks and iPads, will also be sold at discounted prices.
Foreign media reported that it is unusual for Apple, which values its brand image, to officially hold discounts. It was interpreted as an attempt to ‘return public sentiment’ due to the recent decline in sales in China, where Apple is a big player.
China is a major customer, accounting for one-fifth of Apple’s sales last year. It is considered the second largest market after North America.
However, sales were low due to the recent recession. Research firm Counterpoint reported that sales of the iPhone 15, which was released in September last year, were 4.5% lower than those of the iPhone 14 in the two weeks following its release. American investment bank Jefferies announced that iPhone sales in the first week of this year fell 30% compared to the same period last year.
In addition, after the United States recently banned the use of Chinese applications for security reasons, China recently took measures to check, such as regulating the use of iPhones by government officials. Although the Chinese government denied it, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) confirmed through interviews with officials that some government officials were banned from using iPhones.
Experts predicted that competition in the Chinese market will become more difficult this year as the smartphone business of Chinese companies such as Huawei Mi and Xiaomi becomes more active. It is reported that iPhone prices are currently being sold at prices reduced by up to 16% on various Chinese e-commerce sites.
Meanwhile, Apple is struggling with a downward trend, losing the top spot in market capitalization to Microsoft (MS) last week.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.