The 256GB iPhone 15 Pro Max gets a 500 yuan or $70 discount in China
According to Counterpoint Research, shipments of iPhone models in China have been trending lower since Q4 2022 with Honor and Huawei taking some of Apple’s market share. Huawei’s introduction last August of the Mate 60 flagship series was powered by a 5G chip made in China by the country’s leading foundry, SMIC. Because of U.S. sanctions against Huawei, the phones were the first offered by Huawei with a 5G chip (the 7nm Kirin 9000s) since the Mate 40 line was released in 2020.
That Huawei and China’s leading foundry SMIC were able to build a 5G chip of their own, defying the U.S., set off a wave of nationalism among consumers in China who snapped up the new flagship models instead of buying one of the iPhone 15 series phones. Counterpoint Research senior analyst Ivan Lam says, “Apple’s share is being challenged primarily by Huawei at the premium end of the market but also across the mid-high range in recent months from other Chinese competitors.”
