Apple has embarked on an assertive discounting strategy on its official Tmall site in China, unveiling discounts of up to 2,300 yuan ($318) on selected iPhone models. This move underscores the tech giant’s efforts to safeguard its position in the high-end smartphone market amidst intensifying competition from local rivals like Huawei.
Spanning from May 20 to May 28, this discounting campaign surpasses the scope of Apple’s previous campaign in February. While the highest discount offered in February stood at 1,150 yuan, the current discounts soar to 2,300 yuan, with the most substantial markdown applied to the 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max model. Other iPhone models also witness significant price reductions.
For instance, checks conducted by Reuters on Monday reveal a discount of 1,400 yuan on the 128 GB version of the base iPhone 15 model.
The heightened competitive landscape for Apple follows Huawei’s recent introduction of its new series of high-end smartphones, the Pura 70, following the Mate 60 launch last August.
Apple’s preceding discounting endeavors in February appear to have contributed to mitigating a sales downturn in China. According to Reuters’ analysis based on data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), Apple experienced a 12% increase in shipments in China in March. This marks a noteworthy recovery from the 37% sales decline witnessed in the initial two months of 2024.
Apple’s aggressive discounting campaign reflects its proactive approach to maintaining market share in China amidst mounting competition, with the efficacy of such strategies evidenced by the notable rebound in shipments following previous discounting initiatives.
