1 week Ago
Shoppers in China are getting rare discounts on iPhones as Apple faces growing competition from local brands. The four-day promotion, which started yesterday, includes discounts of as much as 500 yuan ($68.50, £55.
30) on some of the US technology giant’s newest handsets. Chinese phone maker Huawei has also cut prices of its high-end mobile devices by as much as 20%. The discounts come as consumers in China remain hesitant about spending because of the country’s economic challenges.
The offer covers Apple’s top models as well as older handsets and some other devices. The biggest discount of 500 yuan will apply to Apple’s flagship iPhone 16 Pro, which has a starting price of 7,999 yuan, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max which currently costs 9,999 yuan. The firm held a similar promotion in China last year ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
This year, the festival starts at the end of January. “Apple’s strategy has changed to adapt to the change in Chinese consumers’ shopping behaviour,” said Will Wong, a senior research manager for market intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC). “The value-seeking trend has made price discounts more attractive to consumers.
Apple may fall behind other competitors if it doesn’t adopt such a pricing strategy.” The discounts being offered by Apple and Huawei reflect a wider trend in China. – BBC.
