Apple is engaged in a fierce battle to maintain its dominance in the Chinese high-end smartphone market. In a strategic move, the tech giant launched an aggressive price cut campaign on its official Tmall site in China, offering discounts of up to 2,300 yuan ($318) on select iPhone models.
Steeper Discounts Than Before
This promotion, running from May 20th to May 28th, marks a significant escalation compared to Apple’s previous discounting efforts in February. Back then, the highest discount offered was 1,150 yuan. This time, Apple is pulling out all the stops, with discounts reaching a staggering 2,300 yuan.
Targeting Premium Models
The most significant price drop applies to the top-of-the-line 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max. Other models across the iPhone 15 series are also experiencing substantial reductions, making them more attractive to cost-conscious Chinese consumers. For example, the base 128GB iPhone 15 sees its price slashed by 1,400 yuan.
Responding to Huawei’s Challenge
This aggressive pricing strategy is a direct response to Apple’s intensifying competition from resurgent Chinese smartphone giant Huawei. Last month, Huawei unveiled its new flagship series, the Pura 70, following the successful launch of the Mate 60 in August 2023. These new offerings threaten to capture market share from Apple, particularly among budget-conscious buyers seeking high-end features.
Early Signs of Success
Apple’s previous February discount campaign appears to have yielded positive results. According to Reuters’ analysis of data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), iPhone shipments in China experienced a 12% increase in March 2024. This marks a sharp turnaround compared to the first two months of the year, which saw a concerning 37% slump in sales for Apple.
