(Bloomberg/Vlad Savov) — Apple Inc.’s smartphone gross sales in China within the weeks main as much as the iPhone 17 launch fell 6% from the year-earlier interval, a deeper hunch than is typical forward of a brand new flagship product launch.
The US firm wasn’t alone in experiencing a sluggish summer season, as gross sales at fellow cell makers Xiaomi Corp., Vivo and Honor Gadget Co. additionally declined within the first eight weeks of the 12 months’s third quarter, in response to Counterpoint Analysis. China’s total market shrank 2% over that interval overlaying July and August, regardless of beneficiant authorities subsidies to encourage consumption.
China is the world’s greatest smartphone market and Apple’s most vital after the home US area. The corporate reversed a two-year decline in China gross sales over the June quarter, boosted partially by the subsidies, in response to Chief Govt Officer Tim Cook dinner. However he additionally mentioned that the iPhone’s buyer base in Higher China hit a document over that interval and he sees it serving to drive customers to the remainder of Apple’s portfolio. “If you look at the other products, Mac, iPad, and Watch, the majority of customers that are buying in China mainland were new to the product,” Cook dinner mentioned on Apple’s newest earnings name.
Apple nonetheless has floor to make as much as regain its main place available in the market, nevertheless, because it had solely the sixth-largest market share, with 12%, in response to Counterpoint. Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei Applied sciences Co. every had 16% of gross sales over the summer season, with chief Vivo solely barely forward with 19% within the extremely aggressive market.
The brand new iPhone 17 is seen as probably the most important improve Apple has dropped at its iPhone lineup in years, with a refreshed design and souped-up digicam system. It goes on sale globally on Friday. In response, Xiaomi has moved up the launch of its subsequent flagship telephone to this month, with co-founder and CEO Lei Jun saying he desires his firm’s merchandise to be measured in opposition to Apple’s finest.
Not one of the information up to now means that synthetic intelligence options or enhancements are proving key gross sales drivers for smartphone patrons. Counterpoint’s analysts count on gross sales to say no barely in China within the full third quarter and the market to stay little modified throughout the total 12 months. Apple isn’t but paying a value for its lack of ability to roll out its Apple Intelligence suite in China, as customers seem to nonetheless be making their buy choices on sensible elements like battery life and worth for cash.
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Initially Revealed: September 17, 2025 at 9:04 AM PDT
