WEB DESK: Apple’s iPhone sales in China saw a remarkable 52 per cent increase in April, driven by strategic price reductions and renewed consumer demand, according to a Bloomberg report.
Data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) revealed that iPhone shipments soared from 2.3 million units in April 2023 to 3.5 million units in April 2024. This significant growth follows a series of substantial price cuts implemented by Apple to invigorate its sales in the region.
This recovery in iPhone sales is part of a broader resurgence in the Chinese smartphone market, which saw a 25.5 percent increase in overall sales, reaching 22.7 million units in April. The CAICT data highlighted that Apple’s sales played a major role in this market-wide growth.
Apple’s robust performance in April marks a sharp turnaround after a difficult start to the year. The company faced a 37 percent decline in sales during the first two months of 2024. However, the recovery began in March with a 12 percent increase in shipments, continuing to gain momentum into April.
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To achieve this comeback, Apple launched a series of aggressive discounts on iPhones, with price cuts reaching up to 2,300 yuan (approximately $318) on its official Tmall site. These discounts, double the initial reductions offered in February, were part of a strategic effort to compete with local rivals like Huawei.
Bloomberg noted that Apple’s market share in China might soon stabilise, as consumer interest in upgrading to new iPhones grows. A recent survey indicated that more than half of Chinese consumers are now willing to spend over 4,000 yuan (approximately $550) on their next phone, a notable increase from the 33 percent who currently use premium handsets.
This trend towards “premiumisation” is expected to benefit Apple, especially with the anticipated release of the iPhone 16 lineup in four months.
This positive shift underscores Apple’s ability to adapt its strategies in response to market challenges, reinforcing its position in one of the world’s most competitive smartphone markets.
