Apple iPhone sales in China surged in April 2024, validating Tim Cook’s optimistic forecast for growth in key markets, including China.
Recent data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) reveals that shipments of foreign-branded smartphones surged by 52% in April, with Apple leading the charge.
While exact figures for iPhone shipments aren’t specified, the significant uptick is evident, building on a 12% increase seen in March. This marks a remarkable recovery from a sharp 37% decline in the first two months of 2024, a period during which many analysts predicted a continued downward trend for Apple.
This unexpected turnaround is largely credited to substantial discounts Apple has been offering, with reductions as high as CNY 2,300 ($320) on select iPhone models. These aggressive price cuts have not only spurred a sales revival in April but are also expected to maintain momentum into May.
The discounts were initiated in response to Huawei’s introduction of its Pura 70 series, which significantly reshuffled the market dynamics. Huawei’s resurgence has seen it overtake Apple, making it the second-largest smartphone brand in China, just behind its former subsidiary, Honor.
CAICT’s data indicates that 3.495 million units of foreign-branded smartphones were sold in China in April, a substantial increase from 2.301 million units in the same month last year. This rise is part of a broader trend, with total smartphone sales in April reaching 22.7 million units, a 25.5% year-over-year increase.
However, despite the strong overall performance, the iPhone 15 series has not matched the initial sales figures of the iPhone 14 series in China.
With only a few months left before the expected launch of the iPhone 16 series, which promises several improvements, Apple is poised to continue its aggressive push to reclaim market share and boost its sales figures further.
