Apple’s iPhone shipments in China surged by 52% in April, following retail price reductions, according to official data, reports Bloomberg.
The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology reported a significant rise in smartphone shipments, with approximately 3.5 million units from foreign brands.
Bloomberg’s analysis indicates that the iPhone represents the majority of these devices. This rebound comes after a challenging start to the year, with Apple seeing growth in March following huge declines in the initial months.
Apple, along with its Chinese retail partners, began cutting prices at the beginning of 2024. These discounts are set to continue through the June 18th shopping festival. Apple has faced double-digit sales declines for its latest iPhones, losing premium market share to Huawei.
Analysts from Bloomberg Intelligence suggest that the iPhone’s market decline in China may be stabilizing, based on a recent poll where consumers are now considering upgrades.
“The iPhone’s shrinking China market share could stabilize soon, as our latest survey shows Apple’s comeback as Chinese consumers’ favorite smartphone brand after being displaced by Huawei,” analysts Steven Tseng and Sean Chen noted.
They added, “We believe the reversal in user interest could be due to the premiumization trend in China, amplified by consumer fatigue after long waiting times for Huawei’s premium models. More than half of survey respondents say they’re willing to spend more than 4,000 yuan ($550 USD) on their next phone vs. just 33% who currently use premium handsets.”
Well, maybe iPhone sales would also be driven higher if Apple were to release a significant update that’s actually Steve Jobs-lustworthy, instead of sticking to minimal upgrades over the past few years?
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