Apple's latest quarter in the Chinese mainland wasn't exactly a hit 🎯. The tech giant saw its iPhone shipments tumble by a whopping 19%—the worst slide since 2020! Meanwhile, Huawei is back in the game, giving Apple a serious run for its money. 🤑
According to data from research firm Counterpoint, Apple's share in the world's biggest smartphone market fell to 15.7% from last year's 19.7%. Ouch! That drop puts Apple almost neck-and-neck with Huawei, which saw its sales skyrocket by an impressive 70%. 🚀
Apple lost its crown as the biggest smartphone seller in the Chinese mainland to rival Vivo, sliding to third place. Huawei jumped to fourth place, boosting its market share to 15.5% from 9.3% a year earlier. Honor, a popular brand spun off from Huawei, grabbed second place. Talk about a shake-up! 📱
\"Huawei's comeback has directly impacted Apple in the premium segment,\" said Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam. \"Plus, the replacement demand for Apple has been slightly subdued compared to previous years.\"
But don't count Apple out just yet! Lam notes that new color options and aggressive sales initiatives could help Apple bounce back in the second quarter. \"We're seeing slow but steady improvement in weekly iPhone sales,\" he added.
Throughout the first quarter, Apple launched campaigns to entice consumers with discounts, subsidizing certain iPhone models by up to 1,300 yuan (about $180). Who doesn't love a good deal? 💰
However, many smartphone reviewers on Chinese social media have been throwing shade at recent iPhones for slow charging speeds, overheating, and missing out on local features that cheaper competitors offer. Not a good look, Apple! 😬
Meanwhile, Huawei is leveling up with new releases. Last week, they dropped the Pura 70 series of high-end phones after launching the Mate 60 series in August. The Mate 60 was seen as a major comeback for Huawei in the premium market, with analysts calling it a triumph over previous challenges. 🎉
Canadian research firm TechInsights expects overall smartphone shipments in the Chinese mainland this year to top 50 million units, including 10 million for the Pura 70 series. That could make Huawei the No. 1 seller with a 19% market share, up from 12% in 2023.
In the first quarter, the Chinese smartphone market grew by 1.5%, marking the second consecutive quarter of positive growth, according to Counterpoint. Looks like the competition is heating up! 🔥
Reference(s):
iPhone Q1 shipments in China tumble 19%, worst since 2020: data
cgtn.com
