Competition with Huawei forces Apple to cut iPhone prices in China

Apple, one of the world's leading smartphone manufacturers, has launched an active discount campaign for some iPhone models on its official Tmall website in China, offering discounts of up to 2300 yuan (or 318 USD). This strategy was a response to the growing competition from Huawei, a well-known Chinese smartphone manufacturer. This was reported by Reuters.

The discount promotion, which will last from May 20 to 28, is more significant than the previous promotion introduced in February. While last time the maximum discount was 1150 yuan, this time it is already 2300 yuan. This initiative covers not only the top-of-the-line iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB model, but also other models that have also received a significant price reduction.

For example, the basic 128 GB iPhone 15 model has a discount of 1,400 yuan, as confirmed by Reuters. This is evidence of Apple's strategic moves in response to increased competitive pressure from Huawei, which recently introduced a new series of Pura 70 smartphones, adding to the competitive tension in the high-end segment.

Apple's previous price-cutting efforts, introduced in February, seemed to be effective in helping the company maintain its position in the smartphone market in China. According to Reuters, Apple's shipments in China grew by 12% in March, compared to a 37% drop in the first two months of 2024. These positive trends indicate the success of the price reduction strategy both to protect against competition and to maintain the popularity of Apple products among consumers in China.