iPhone 15 Faces Poor Sales in China... Huawei and Xiaomi Continue to Thrive

Record Lowest Sales Volume
Chinese Company Surpasses Apple

Apple's recently released smartphone, the iPhone 15, recorded its lowest-ever sales in China. Meanwhile, competitors Huawei and Xiaomi saw soaring sales, leading to analyses that Chinese companies have surpassed Apple.

On the 16th, market research firm Counterpoint Research reported that iPhone 15 sales in China over 17 days since its launch decreased by 4.5% compared to the same period last year for the iPhone 14 series. Analysts at investment bank Jefferies also predicted that iPhone 15 sales have declined by double-digit percentages compared to its predecessor.

Both research firms noted that this sales slump is the first since 2018, when Chinese smartphone brands Oppo and Vivo enjoyed great popularity. The decline in product demand due to China's economic slowdown was cited as the cause of the iPhone 15's poor sales.

On the other hand, Huawei is experiencing strong sales with its new smartphone, the Mate 60 series, released in August this year. Bloomberg explained that the Mate 60 Pro has boosted its sales by leveraging the Chinese government's ban on iPhone purchases for government agencies and state-owned enterprises.

Counterpoint estimated that Huawei's Mate 60 Pro sales this year will range from at least 5 million to as many as 6 million units. Last year, Huawei sold approximately 22 million smartphones in total.

Jefferies assessed that, based on this trend, Apple has likely lost its number one market share position in China to Huawei. Apple had recorded the top market share (20%) for the first time in the first quarter of this year, surpassing Chinese manufacturers. At that time, Vivo (18%), Oppo and Honor (16%), and Xiaomi (12%) followed. Since 2021, when U.S. sanctions caused Huawei's market share to plummet, the Chinese smartphone market has been dominated by competition among Vivo, Oppo, Honor, and Xiaomi.

Analysts also predict that if the current sales slump continues, Apple's market share next year will fall behind that of Chinese companies. Jefferies stated, "The decline in demand in China will eventually lead to a decrease in iPhone shipments in the global market."

However, there is also analysis suggesting that poor sales in China could be offset by the U.S. market. Counterpoint Research estimated that iPhone 15 sales in the U.S. have shown double-digit growth compared to the previous year over nine days since the product launch.

Counterpoint said, "Currently, the new iPhone is very popular in the U.S. This is a positive sign for the world's largest iPhone market and will help offset the sluggishness in China."

Meanwhile, on the New York Stock Exchange that day, Apple's stock closed at $178.72, down 0.07% from the previous trading day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.