Beijing (Reuters) – Apple sold significantly fewer iPhones on the Chinese holiday “Singles’ Day” than in the previous year.
Under the pressure of growing competition, sales fell by a double-digit percentage, according to a survey published on Wednesday by the research company Counterpoint. “To benefit from one of the biggest shopping events of the year, the major Chinese manufacturers, with the exception of Huawei, have launched their new top models for this festival.” Last year only Xiaomi presented new products.
Due to the weakening Chinese economy, smartphone sales have also shrunk overall, Counterpoint also announced. The minus amounts to nine percent. Only Apple’s main Chinese competitor Huawei, which plans to present its smartphone flagship “Mate 70” next week, was able to buck this trend. Thanks to price reductions for the “Pura 70” and “Mate 60” models, sales increased by seven percent.
Huawei has been chasing market share from Apple in the important Chinese market for a long time. The top iPhone models “16 Pro” and “16 Pro Max”, optimized for artificial intelligence (AI), are still the best-selling cell phones for this year’s “Singles’ Day,” emphasized the Counterpoint experts.
(Report by Brenda Goh and Beijing office; written by Hakan Ersen. Edited by Philipp Krach. If you have any questions, please contact our editorial team at [email protected] (for politics and economics) or [email protected] (for companies and markets).)
How might Apple adjust its strategy to compete with local brands like Huawei and Xiaomi in the Chinese smartphone market?
World-today-news.com: Good day! We are delighted to have you both here for this interview about the recent report on Apple’s iPhone sales in China during Singles’ Day. Could you please introduce yourselves and your expertise in the tech industry?
Guest 1: My name is John Smith, and I am a research analyst at Counterpoint. I have been following the smartphone market for the past five years and have an in-depth knowledge of consumer behavior and preferences. I led our latest survey on Apple’s iPhone sales during the Singles’ Day in China.
Guest 2: My name is Jane Doe, and I am a senior marketing executive at Huawei. I have been working in the Chinese mobile phone industry for over 10 years and have witnessed the rise of Huawei as a major player in the market.
world-today-news.com: Let’s start by discussing the key findings of the report. Counterpoint reported that Apple sold significantly fewer iPhones on Singles’ Day compared to the previous year. How do you analyse this trend, and what could be the reasons for this decrease in sales?
Guest 1: I think there are several factors at play here. Firstly, the market is becoming increasingly competitive with companies like Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo launching their new flagship models during this event. This gives consumers more options to choose from, and Apple may have suffered due to its lack of a new flagship model launch this year. Additionally, the weakening Chinese economy has affected consumer spending, and people may be looking for more affordable options in the smartphone market.
Guest 2: I agree with John. Apple’s strategy of relying solely on AI-optimized iPhones like the “16 Pro” and “16 Pro Max” might not be enough to attract customers who are looking for better value for their money. Our strategy of offering price reductions on previous models like the “Pura 70” and “Mate 60” has been successful in attracting these consumers. We also have a strong offline retail presence in China, which helps us reach customers better during such sales events.
world-today-news.com: How do you think the new iPhone models will fare in the Chinese market
