iPhone Shipments Down 9% in China's Q1 Smartphone Boom

[MacRumors]

Apple's iPhone shipments in China declined by 9 percent in the first quarter compared to the year earlier, and it was the only major smartphone vendor to see a decline, according to data from research firm IDC.

Shipments of iPhones fell to 9.8 million units, giving Apple a market share of 13.7 percent, down from 17.4 percent in the previous quarter. Apple has now had seven straight quarters of decline.

For local vendors, it was another story. Market leader Xiaomi saw shipments rise 40 percent to 13.3 million units. Meanwhile, industry-wide shipments rose by 3.3 percent.

According to IDC, Apple's premium pricing structure prevented the company from capitalizing on new government subsidies introduced at the start of the year that fuelled growth in the first quarter.

Under the subsidies, consumers of electronics get a 15 percent refund of products that are priced under 6,000 yuan ($820). Apple's standard iPhone 16 starts at 5,999 yuan.

Article Link: iPhone Shipments Down 9% in China's Q1 Smartphone Boom

 

[contacos]

And it is only gonna get „worse“. I was in Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong recently and the hardware of these phones there make iPhone look like the Nokia of 2025. Needless to say, I returned with my first ever Oppo device (not even sold here in Germany).

Apple is lucky they got most people in the west hooked on their locked in ecosystem

 

[mxrider88]

Shipping rubbish software is catching up on them. Good, hopefully the decline continues and they get a reality check.

 

[DMG35]

Not surprised. Smartphone makers around the globe have surpassed Apple when it comes to hardware of their devices. People want more than the same old slab that Apple has been churning out year after year.

 

[MilaM]

Could it be more collateral damage from the trade war?

 

[simply258]

If I wasn’t locked into the Apple ecosystem, I also would have switched or at least trialed another device. There are many superior phones in terms of hardware, and their software is really tuned to make the most of it. As a device on its own, non-Apple phones work really well.

 

[Chazak]

What a huge surprise that a Chinese government subsidized 15% discount would significantly affect market share of unsubsidized competitors. I never would have imagined such a thing could happen with China the guardian of fair trade! Trump could put 125% tariff on them ... oh yeah, I forgot he is essentially doing that to an American company.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I'm not surprised. Even as a lifelong Apple owner/user I can't help but look with envy. When you see what Xiaomi is producing like with the 15 Ultra, of Oppo with the Find N5 that is some amazing kit. Sure the software is running a bit behind in polish, but also catching up rapidly. Or even when you take a look at how Samsung UI7 introduced on the S25 Ultra is progressing and integrating AI well and not just do emoji updates, they are taking the software to another level. Similarly with plain Android and Gemini integrations.

Apple is running behind on the hardware, and on the software. Where they still have the edge, just, is eco system integration. But with the global drive to move away from US services I can't see that lasting long. And the same is happening with Android hardware that is being de-googled.

Very interesting times ahead for us consumers.

 

[Aeronauts]

Could it be more collateral damage from the trade war?

Could be. It will be interesting to see going forward how this trade war affects the sales of American brands in China.

 

[sdz]

Apple is lucky they got most people in the west hooked on their locked in ecosystem

I buy it BECAUSE of the ecosystem

 

[MilaM]

Apple is running behind on the hardware, and on the software.

The hardware is still very competitive in my opinion. I do agree though, that Apple should open up their operating systems more to allow competing services to co-exist in their ecosystem. Because of the numerous restrictions Apple has put in place to protect their services business, Apple devices are becoming less useful and sometimes even annoying to deal with.

 

[kamyk35]

Apple's iPhone shipments in China declined by 9 percent in the first quarter compared to the year earlier, and it was the only major smartphone vendor to see a decline, according to data from research firm IDC.

Shipments of iPhones fell to 9.8 million units, giving Apple a market share of 13.7 percent, down from 17.4 percent in the previous quarter. Apple has now had seven straight quarters of decline.

For local vendors, it was another story. Market leader Xiaomi saw shipments rise 40 percent to 13.3 million units. Meanwhile, industry-wide shipments rose by 3.3 percent.

According to IDC, Apple's premium pricing structure prevented the company from capitalizing on new government subsidies introduced at the start of the year that fuelled growth in the first quarter.

Under the subsidies, consumers of electronics get a 15 percent refund of products that are priced under 6,000 yuan ($820). Apple's standard iPhone 16 starts at 5,999 yuan.

Article Link: iPhone Shipments Down 9% in China's Q1 Smartphone Boom

These figures are all made up!
Apple doesn't release their quarterly sales by product.
Chinese government/companies lie about everything, including sales figures.
IDC are trying to flog their software with this click bait sensationalism

 

[j26]

2 behemoths - Apple and Tesla - falling in rising markets. Not just losing share but actually falling.

Okay, there are some pretty stark differences in the CEO's, but are there similarities between their models that could be causing this?

 

[kamyk35]

„Fanboys“. How old are you. I use a mix of both.

Possibly, however Germany is more Chinese Android than China 🤣

 

[kamyk35]

Not surprised. Smartphone makers around the globe have surpassed Apple when it comes to hardware of their devices. People want more than the same old slab that Apple has been churning out year after year.

Most of them copy Apple (Oppo even blatantly copies IOS), so how have they surpassed Apple?

 

[kamyk35]

If I wasn’t locked into the Apple ecosystem, I also would have switched or at least trialed another device. There are many superior phones in terms of hardware, and their software is really tuned to make the most of it. As a device on its own, non-Apple phones work really well.

How do u know?, if you haven't tried one?

 

[shadowboi]

deleted

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

China is only about 13% of overall net sales and growth in emerging markets are more than offsetting any current China weakness.

 

[lk400]

And it is only gonna get „worse“. I was in Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong recently and the hardware of these phones there make iPhone look like the Nokia of 2025. Needless to say, I returned with my first ever Oppo device (not even sold here in Germany).

Apple is lucky they got most people in the west hooked on their locked in ecosystem

I live in Tokyo and travel to Seoul HK and Singapore every month, and I literally have no idea what you’re talking about. All the hardware looks basically the same.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

The hardware is still very competitive in my opinion. I do agree though, that Apple should open up their operating systems more to allow competing services to co-exist in their ecosystem. Because of the numerous restrictions Apple has put in place to protect their services business, Apple devices are becoming less useful and sometimes even annoying to deal with.

I don't know, I've got the 16 Pro Max, upgraded from my 13 Pro. And it's not like wow. There are no foldable options either. It looks still exactly the same. Quite thick. The camera's are more natural in default processing, but zoom isn't great really. And when pixelpeeping 1:1 it truly falls apart. Hardware wise, I've got access to a S25 Ultra and that is miles ahead, but requires more playing with the settings to tame the oversaturation. Also sound and airpods and protocols for hi-defintion quality audio they are lagging behind.

I prefer the thinner more rectangular look, but I appreciate that is subjective.

Did I mention foldable options? Where is apple with a clamshell and full size foldable with amazing hardware?

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I live in Tokyo and travel to Seoul HK and Singapore every month, and I literally have no idea what you’re talking about. All the hardware looks basically the same.

Huh!? Even Samsung has special editions that aren't available in ROW. And those superthin foldables or even trifolds. Numerous clamshell options. Camera arrays....There is lots more choice.

Shame not many support global e-sims as I require them for multiple phone numbers in different countries.

 

[scorpio vega]

The hardware is still very competitive in my opinion. I do agree though, that Apple should open up their operating systems more to allow competing services to co-exist in their ecosystem. Because of the numerous restrictions Apple has put in place to protect their services business, Apple devices are becoming less useful and sometimes even annoying to deal with.

That literally goes against the entire ethos of iOS and I hope it never happens

How do u know?, if you haven't tried one?

they don’t.

Maybe because Xiaomis and Huaweis are made to last just one year

Exactly.

I love Chinese products but every time I buy something from china be it electronic or clothes it’s low quality and doesn’t last lok.

Besides Android is usually terrible on older hardware.

 

[scorpio vega]

Did I mention foldable options? Where is apple with a clamshell and full size foldable with amazing hardware?

I will so be glad when foldable die out.

 

[foobarbaz]

Chinese phones are the reason why climate change exists

Climate change existed since before 2G. Let’s not deflect blame. It’s our entire lifestyle, not just cheap electronics. We’re literally burning carbon based things in huge quantities.

E-waste and throwing away rare resources are a major problem, too, but it’s not the significant driver of climate change. And cell phones aren’t even a major source of waste. There are much cheaper electronics that get made and thrown away in much larger quantities (think of single-use vapes, eg).

 

[kamyk35]

I buy it BECAUSE of the ecosystem

It's also far less complicated to use the Android's, however there is no denying Apple is losing ground, through their own poor choices, not delivering on promises and never doing more with upgrades, just not quite enough every time, since the X, 11Pro & 13 pro 😏