Discount boosted iPhone sales in China
Apple increased iPhone shipments in China by 52 percent after a bad start to the year. A Bloomberg Intelligence survey of consumers in China earlier this month shows that the iPhone is back as the most preferred mobile device.
Calculations based on the latest figures by the China Academy of Information and Communication Technologies indicate that smartphone shipments have increased in the country and approximately 3.5 million of them come from foreign brands.
The majority of such devices are iPhones.
Apple and its Chinese dealers have been reducing prices since the beginning of 2024, and the agreements here are extended until the discount season that coincides with the June 18 shopping festival.
Apple had seen double-digit declines in sales of its last-generation mobile phones as it lost market share to Huawei in the premium segment. After a bad start to the year, iPhone sales recorded a 52 percent jump in April, following a recovery in March.
IDC Analyst Will Wong said the growth reflects two things.
“Apple was preparing for the 618 online shopping festival,” Wong said. We could see this from the recent price reductions. High-end users showed signs of purchasing better mobile devices to use for longer periods of time. “This will lead to longer replacement cycles.”
April in general is traditionally a low-volume month for the iPhone maker, so small changes in purchases can cause big swings. A Bloomberg Intelligence survey of consumers in China earlier this month shows the iPhone is back as the most preferred mobile device and interest in new devices is rising.