Apple has launched an aggressive discount campaign on its official Tmall website in China, offering discounts of up to 2,300 yuan ($318) on select iPhone models. This initiative aims to defend its position in the high-end smartphone market, where competition from local rivals like Huawei is becoming increasingly intense.
The discount campaign, which runs from May 20 to 28, offers more substantial discounts than those offered by Apple last February. While the maximum discount in February was 1,150 yuan, current discounts can reach 2,300 yuan. For example, the 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max has the biggest discount, while other models, such as the 128GB version of the iPhone 15, are offered with a discount of 1,400 yuan.
Apple reduces its margins even further to counter the rise of Huawei
The move comes as Huawei recently launched its new high-end smartphone series, the Pura 70, in April, succeeding the Mate 60 introduced last August. The rise of Huawei and other local manufacturers puts increased pressure on Apple to maintain its market share.
Apple’s previous price reduction effort in February appears to have had a positive impact, helping to alleviate slowing sales in China. Apple’s shipments in China rose 12% in March, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT). This increase stands in stark contrast to the first two months of 2024, where Apple saw a 37% drop in sales.
By offering deeper discounts, Apple hopes to attract more Chinese consumers and strengthen its position in the face of fierce competition in China’s high-end smartphone market.
