Apple Offers Rare Discounts in China Ahead of Lunar New Year

Apple is struggling with poor sales in China and fierce competition from Chinese products, prompting it to offer unprecedented discounts.

According to CNBC on the 15th (local time), Apple announced on its Chinese website that it would reduce the prices of some product lines from the 18th to the 21st of this month. This move is interpreted as an attempt to boost sales ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday scheduled for mid-next month.

The price reduction for the latest model, the iPhone 15 series, was set at 500 yuan (approximately $75). Prices for other products such as MacBook, iPad, and Apple Watch were also reduced.

Apple is struggling in China, the world’s largest smartphone market. Chinese companies such as Huawei and Xiaomi are releasing competitive products. In September last year, the Chinese government even banned the use of Apple devices for some government departments and company employees for security reasons.

Sales of the latest model in China were lower than before. According to U.S. investment bank Jefferies, the sales of the iPhone 15 series in the first week of this year decreased by 30% compared to the same period last year. Also, last year’s iPhone sales in China decreased by 3% compared to the previous year.

Nicole Peng, Senior Vice President of market research firm Canalys, said, “Apple is under pressure to increase sales worldwide, especially in China.” She added, “Therefore, this discount is not surprising.” She continued, “It’s clear that Huawei is making a comeback,” and “Some Chinese consumers may be led by patriotism to use Huawei again.”

By. Sharon Lee