Foreign phone sales drop nearly 50% in China market

Sales of foreign phone brands in China fell sharply in November 2024. The 47% drop underscores the pressure on Apple, the country's largest international mobile phone vendor.

Shipments of foreign mobile phones in China reached 3.04 million units in November 2024, down 47.4% from November 2023 and 51% from October 2024, according to CNBC calculations based on data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).

Foreign phone sales fell 47% in November 2024 in China.

CAICT does not break down figures by brand, however Apple accounts for the majority of foreign mobile phone shipments in China with competitors such as Samsung holding only a small share of the market.

The figures highlight the growing pressure Apple is facing in the world's largest smartphone market, as it competes with increasingly powerful domestic brands.

For example, Huawei - whose mobile phone business was crippled by US sanctions - saw a revival in late 2023 and has been aggressively launching high-end smartphones in China, which are popular with local buyers.

Huawei's growth rate outpaced Apple's in the third quarter of last year, according to the latest data from research firm IDC.

Apple hopes the iPhone 16 series, due to be released in September 2024, will help the company regain growth momentum in China, as the Cupertino, California, tech giant promises to integrate a range of new artificial intelligence features through its Apple Intelligence software.

However, Apple Intelligence is not yet available in China due to the country's complex AI regulations. Meanwhile, some of Apple's domestic rivals have advertised their own AI features available on their devices.

Huawei's phone sales increased 42% in the third quarter of 2024.

To demonstrate the importance of China to the iPhone giant, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the country multiple times last year in an effort to strengthen Apple Intelligence's partnerships with local companies in China.

In an effort to boost interest in the iPhone 16, Apple will start discounting the device starting today (January 4) as part of its Lunar New Year promotion. According to Apple's website, the biggest discounts are on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Promax, which are down by up to $68.50. Other models such as the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, or iPhones launched from 2023 are discounted by $40-$50.

China's consumer prices fell in November to their lowest level in five months, as economic uncertainty and deflation concerns hit household spending.

Apple dropped out of China’s top five smartphone vendors in the second quarter of 2024 before recovering in the third quarter. The U.S. company’s smartphone sales in China still fell 0.3% in the third quarter from a year earlier, while Huawei’s sales rose 42%, according to research firm IDC.

Phone shipments in China, including domestic brands, fell 5.1% year-on-year in November 2024 to 29.61 million units.

(Source CNBC)

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/doanh-so-dien-thoai-nuoc-ngoai-giam-gan-50-tai-thi-truong-trung-quoc-192250104133905528.htm