Apple vs Huawei: The race to win China’s market with discounts, price cuts, and more

Apple vs Huawei

The smartphone market in China is intensifying as Apple is giving its Chinese customers a discount on iPhones as it competes with homegrown rivals such as Huawei. The four-day promotion, running from January 4 to 7, applies to several iPhone models, including the latest iPhone 16 series. Along similar lines, Huawei also has been cutting prices on its phones.

Apple and Huawei drop prices of their smartphones: Key details

According to a new report by Reuters, Apple will run a four-day promotion on iPhones and its other popular gadgets in China from January 4 to January 7. During this period, the tech giant will offer a 500 Yuan (approx. Rs 5,800) straight-up discount on the latest iPhone models, including the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The discounts are available when customers buy Apple devices using select payment methods, like WeChat or Alipay.

Meanwhile, Huawei has given massive discounts of up to 3000 yuan (approx. Rs 35,000) on some of its flagship devices, including the Pura 70 series, Huawei Mate X5, and other smartphones on one of China's leading e-commerce platforms. The discounts being offered by Apple and Huawei reflect a wider trend in China as deals are being offered in a bid to attract customers who have been reluctant to spend due to slower economic growth in the last few months.

Apple has also been facing significant sales pressure in China as in the second quarter of 2024, the Cupertino-based tech giant briefly fell out of the top five smartphone brands category. However, it regained its position in the third quarter. In contrast, Huawei has grown by more than 42% in the last year in China, according to research firm IDC.