Apple is offering rare discounts of up to 500 yuan ($68.50) on its latest iPhone models in China to bolster its market position against fierce competition from domestic manufacturers like Huawei.
The four-day promotional campaign, running from January 4 to 7, applies to several iPhone models and requires specific payment methods, such as WeChat Pay or Alipay. The flagship iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, with starting prices of 7,999 yuan and 9,999 yuan respectively, will see a 500-yuan reduction. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are discounted by 400 yuan.
This promotion comes at a time when Chinese consumers are cautious about spending due to the country’s slowing economy and deflationary pressures. Apple’s market share in China, the largest smartphone market globally, has faced challenges from domestic brands, particularly Huawei, which has made a strong return to the premium segment.
Huawei recently slashed prices on high-end devices by up to 3,000 yuan, intensifying the competition. Despite briefly falling out of the top five smartphone vendors in China during the second quarter of 2024, Apple recovered in the third quarter. However, its third-quarter smartphone sales in China dropped 0.3% compared to the previous year, while Huawei experienced a 42% surge, according to IDC.
The Apple promotion also includes discounts on older iPhone models and other product categories, such as MacBooks and iPads, with savings ranging from 200 to 300 yuan.
