Analysts are reporting weaker demand for Apple’s new iPhone 15 lineup in China compared to last year’s models.
According to Counterpoint Research, iPhone 15 sales in China have decreased by 4.5% in the first two weeks following its launch when compared to iPhone 14 sales.
Additionally, financial firm Jefferies noted that iPhone 15 sales saw a double-digit percentage drop, partly due to strong customer demand for Huawei’s new Mate 60 smartphone line.
These reports coincide with a challenging Chinese economy, a struggling housing market, and increased competition among high-end vendors in China, particularly from domestic manufacturer Huawei.
Jeff Fieldhack, a research director at Counterpoint, mentioned the growing influence of nationalism among Chinese consumers who perceive US government actions and sanctions as unjust.
As a result, some of these consumers are turning to the Huawei Mate 60, impacting Apple’s sales.
Despite these challenges, China remains a crucial market for Apple, ranking as the second-largest market after the US.
Fieldhack does not anticipate Huawei overtaking Apple in smartphone sales at the moment but expects that interest in the Mate 60 will continue to affect Apple’s performance.
On the other hand, the iPhone 15 lineup has seen approximately a 10% year-over-year growth in the US, which is a positive trend for Apple.
This growth is significant, considering that Apple experienced a decline in sales for the third consecutive quarter before the iPhone 15 launch.
The iPhone 15 devices come with a slimmer design, an advanced main camera system, and a customizable Action button, offering additional functionalities for the silent button.
Notably, these models adopt a USB-C charging cord, ending an 11-year era of Apple’s proprietary Lightning charging cable.
The Huawei Mate 60 made headlines following its late August release, with the US government seeking more information about its 5G Kirin 9000s processor, developed specifically for Huawei.
This development surprised industry experts, given the US’s efforts to restrict China’s access to foreign chip technology due to national security concerns.
Source-CNN
