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Apple Drops to Sixth Place in China's Smartphone Market
- Thread starter MacRumors
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Not defending any of the involved parties here. But recent US policy towards the Chinese tech sector might have something to do with this.
I feel so sorry for not being able to take over the entire world
There is a lot of competition out there now and many times a lot more affordable
Much deserved. iPhones have been basically the same since 4 years now.
Heavy
Huge notch compared to Androids
No finger print reader on-screen
60hz display in almost all devices
Slow charge
Normal speed compared to the other
Normal network behavior
Poor typing correction
No multitask
mediocre keyboard
No foldable phone yet!
Ilusion of safer not so true anymore
Etc. still love my 15pro max, but will be my last iPhone in a few years. Then Harmony Os for me!.
Innovation is not Apple strong suit since Tim took reign. Apple is investor oriented and that is killing it.
Apple survives because of the artificial US restriction on a company, not because Apple is absolutely better in every aspect. Not anymore.
Now iOS 18 with AI will be the selling point to get an IPhone?, sorry, it will be just an expensive disaster for Apple.
Heavy
Huge notch compared to Androids
No finger print reader on-screen
60hz display in almost all devices
Slow charge
Normal speed compared to the other
Normal network behavior
Poor typing correction
No multitask
mediocre keyboard
No foldable phone yet!
Ilusion of safer not so true anymore
Etc. still love my 15pro max, but will be my last iPhone in a few years. Then Harmony Os for me!.
Innovation is not Apple strong suit since Tim took reign. Apple is investor oriented and that is killing it.
Apple survives because of the artificial US restriction on a company, not because Apple is absolutely better in every aspect. Not anymore.
Now iOS 18 with AI will be the selling point to get an IPhone?, sorry, it will be just an expensive disaster for Apple.
And why exactly is this the more important question? Regular folks rarely talk/care about profit margins.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
This is the automatic response in every story about Apple slipping in market share. However, the "catch" in "but who makes the most profit..." is that the ultimate endpoint of hanging hats on that one is Apple making just a single iPhone unit, selling it for the highest margin percentage and they still win that very same contest... but die as a company with a unit sales volume of 1 unit.
And if we reposition it as "who makes the most profit dollars?" instead of margin percentage on each unit sold, this Apple could make a single unit, "sell" it for greater profit than all other phones to as little as ONE buyer and survive as a company but have only a single, very deep pocketed customer.
Apple will always win the "but who makes the most profit" contest because the premium is real and STEEP (see RAM & SSD pricing relative to market). However, we consumers do NOT win by being the ones "but who pays the most corporate margin" consumers. Losing share demands competing to regain that share. Else, the endpoint is higher & higher prices to preserve that "but who makes the most profit" crown as they sell to fewer people... and, despite appearances to date, consumer pockets are generally not endless cash wells.
Super fat margins even at the loss of market share may be short-term shareholder delight 💰💰💰 But eventually, ANY company needs more buyers to buy than even fewer buyers to pay much more to keep the "another record quarter..." train rolling down the track.
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The Chinese manufacturers are more willing to allow the Chinese government to install eavesdropping technology onto those devices. Apple devices are so well locked down most law-enforcement agencies cannot break into them.
I don't disagree; without going into what set us on this path - the realities on the ground are... well, realities.
These stories are completely made up.
Pure fiction.
Nobody knows proper sales figures in Asian countries with the biggest grey and black markets.
One month they say Apple is back to number one. Next month they say ohhh no Apple back to number five.
How can it suddenly change when customers are on annual or bi annual contracts?
Because those MFs in Wall Street plant these fake stories to manipulate stock markets.
They control the stories and they already have their day trading positions set.
Pure fiction.
Nobody knows proper sales figures in Asian countries with the biggest grey and black markets.
One month they say Apple is back to number one. Next month they say ohhh no Apple back to number five.
How can it suddenly change when customers are on annual or bi annual contracts?
Because those MFs in Wall Street plant these fake stories to manipulate stock markets.
They control the stories and they already have their day trading positions set.
Exactly, the 2% drop in market share could very well be due to the millions of public employees banned from bringing an iPhone to work.
Nonsense. Chinese love iPhones.
Screen quality and UI is more important than an extra quarter inch.
Photo quality and raw video is more important than more pixels.
You might get an extra hour battery life with a **** competitor but you’re getting a CPU 40% slower.
Nothing touches the iPhone in terms of getting quality and performance right.
Some rando post on forum isn’t going to change that.
Nope... The display on my 15PM is outstanding. Being a photographer who uses my phone a lot for making (not taking) photographs, I couldn't be happier. Battery life, so far, is outstanding. And it charges quickly.
The slow down is simply due to Chinese pressure/demands to purchase phones from Chines companies.
Yeah, this is why people aren't buying iPhones in China. A white line, that I didn't even notice till reading your post. I got a feeling that most people don't think anything of it. I've never had issues with it when gaming, or had it obscure text (hence me not noticing it). Of all the reasons iPhones may not be selling in China, I doubt the line at the bottom cracks the top 100 reasons.
Same phone for the last 6 years almost, everyone getting bored except those who are getting free upgrade through the network providers long term plans. Those who want to purchase outright, they have plenty of other options, especially in China where they have far more advanced mobiles with great design and camera capabilities than iPhones. Top chart in DxOMark dominated by Chinese mobiles. Had Huawei and Honor not banned or allowed to make SoCs like earlier, things would have been far worse for Apple.
“Poor displays” Are you serious? Maybe if u still use iPhone 6 sure but if u use iPhone 13 Pro Max and up displays are phenomenal lol please don’t spread lies and missinformation.
Because their media is run by the government in China.
I believe that the only significant answer on your list is 7) Patriotism and feeling amongst Chinese that USA = Bad.
There is also price and the fact that the Chinese government appears to be actively targeting Apple in China.
The reason is irrelevant.
Apple releases their quarterly earnings next Thursday so look for Cook decked out in his best cheerleading uniform to prevaricate about AI and the future of Apple Intelligence.
I'd put #7 on top, right now it's very un-patriotic - and frowned upon - to buy foreign brands, including e.g. Samsung. #6 Brand fatigue: definitely not, Apple is considered premium in China, wealthy people agree to pay extra for that ; but there's no ecosystem as in the US. #5 basic cheap non-Pro models: maybe in the US, but in most countries (incl China), all last-gen iPhones are flagship grade & price. For all other brands, flagships don't carry the biggest sales, by far. Premium/luxury feel also blurs Apple lack of innovation, like no foldable yet.
Brand saturation is probably a huge reason because for many many years having an iphone was seen as a status symbol but because there is so many different models out there now, having an iphone is no longer seen as being 'cool' or part of the 'In' crowd because everyone and their dog (a common saying) has one.
It could also be Chinese smartphone users no longer care about iOS and are happy to use android instead.
It could also be Chinese smartphone users no longer care about iOS and are happy to use android instead.