Apple is China's 'favourite' once again as iPhone sales surge by 52%

Apple Store

Apple has had a tough few quarters in China. Huawei has made a strong comeback and other players gained a the iPhone’s expense as well. However, it looks like the strategy of offering discounts on iPhone has paid off for Apple. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple’s iPhone sales in China have surged by 52% in April, signaling a bound driven by aggressive price cuts, which led to renewed consumer demand.

The report cites data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. The numbers reveal that smartphone shipments in China have surged with 3.5 million units coming from foreign brands.

As per other online reports, Apple has been offering substantial discounts on iPhones. The iPhone’s discounts have been hitting up to 2,300 yuan (roughly $318) on its official Tmall site. Since the turn of the year, Apple has been offering discounts directly on its online store and not third-party resellers. The report reveals that the rebound comes after Apple registered growth in March following steep declines in the first two months of the year.

“The iPhone’s shrinking China market share could stabilise soon, as our latest survey shows Apple’s comeback as Chinese consumers’ favourite smartphone brand after being displaced by Huawei,” analysts Steven Tseng and Sean Chen were quoted as saying in the report.

Recent data from Counterpoint Research had not revealed good numbers for Apple. iPhone sales had dropped 19.1% YoY in Q1 as Huawei’s comeback directly impacted the premium segment in China. This was reportedly the worst quarter for Apple since 2020. It was also significant because this was the ‘festive’ season in China — a quarter where iPhone sales are traditionally on the up.

The offering of discounts seemed to have worked quite well for Apple as it has made a comeback in one of its most important market.