Apple Offers Rare iPhone Discounts In China As Competition Heats Up, Huawei Responds With Price Cuts

Apple will give a price reduction of Yuan 500 on its flagship smartphones for four days starting from January 4 till January 7, 2025.

Hyderabad: Apple is offering a discount of up to 500 Yuan ($68.50) on its latest iPhone models in China. This rare move by the tech giant is seen as a response to the intense competition it faces from domestic players like Huawei in the Chinese market. Additionally, Chinese consumers are spending less due to the nation's economic challenges.

According to a report from Reuters, Apple will run a four-day promotion on iPhones in China from January 4 to January 7, 2025. During this period, the company will offer a price reduction of 500 Yuan on the latest iPhone models, including the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

In China, the iPhone 16 Pro starts at 7,999 Yuan, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is available from 9,999 Yuan. (1 USD = 7.32 Yuan)

The discounts from Apple in China hint towards the Cupertino-based tech giant's unwillingness to lose its market share in the country as Huawei has emerged as an intimidating competitor by entering into the premium segment with locally manufactured chips.

Huawei offers price drop on premium phones

Recently, the Shenzhen-based tech company reduced the prices of its various devices, including mobile phones, by up to Yuan 3,000 on one of China's leading e-commerce platforms over the weekend.

In China, Apple has been facing significant sales pressure. In the second quarter of 2024, the company briefly fell out of the top five smartphone brands category but regained its position in the third quarter. Year-on-year, Apple's sales declined, while Huawei's sales surged by 42 per cent.

Additionally, Apple is offering price reductions on its older iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads, in addition to discounts on its latest models. These discounts are available only when paying via WeChat Pay or Alipay.