Apple is offering rare discounts of its iPhone 15 lineup in China amid mounting consumer concern over demand, offering discounts of 5% for a limited period before Lunar New Year begins in mid-February.
Sales for Apple have started slowly this year as homegrown rivals Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi provide competitive models. Sources indicate that enterprises and government departments may limit staffers’ use of Apple devices similar to US restrictions placed on Chinese apps for security reasons.
Fears of a slowdown
Apple retail partners have long provided discounts for iPhones ahead of the US’s biggest shopping holiday, Black Friday. But rarely has Apple itself taken part. Now though, its Lunar New Year promotion covers everything from iPhone 13s up to and including 15 Pro Max phones as well as knocking 5% off other major products including MacBooks, iPads and some AirPod models.
Apple faces several threats as it grapples with a slowdown in China, accounting for one fifth of global revenue. Homegrown rivals such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi have come up with cheaper models; Chinese enterprises and government departments may limit staffers’ use of Apple devices similar to US government restrictions on certain apps due to security concerns, according to insider reports.
Analysts anticipate iPhone sales to continue their decline this year, with Chinese shoppers expected to purchase 285.8 million units this year instead of 3 percent growth as seen last year.
Competition from home-grown rivals
Apple’s price cuts in China signal rising competition from homegrown rivals such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi. Some enterprises and government departments have even begun restricting staffers from using Apple devices – mirroring US government bans against Chinese apps over security concerns.
Analysts expect a double-digit decrease in iPhone sales this year versus 2017, with China experiencing the greatest decline due to trade tensions and its rapidly slowing housing market. Such tensions have only compounded Apple’s stakes and emotions around a market which accounts for one fifth of their overall revenue.
Apple and other Western multinationals tend to view China not simply as a market or supplier, but as both. As a result, effective short-term government interventions often prove challenging due to overlapping interests between different aspects of a company.
Patriotism
Philosophers have raised numerous concerns with patriotic sentiment as morally questionable, suggesting it constitutes group egoism that conflicts with demands for universal justice and human solidarity. George Kateb argues that patriotism causes people to ignore facts about their country that contradict patriotic ideals while maintaining attachment in “bad faith”.
More recently, a small enterprise in China warned its employees not to purchase iPhones as a show of patriotism; doing so could cost the company money and lead to their dismissal from employment. Social media users then began posting photos and videos showing young Chinese smashing their iPhones with hammers.
This trend appears to have generated a wave of anti-Apple messages online from those who consider purchasing an iPhone unpatriotic, though this sentiment likely won’t hurt Apple sales in the long run, given most iPhones are produced in China, whose economy relies heavily on exports.
Discounts
Apple is offering discounted iPhones in China – an unusual move which signals its increasing concern about lagging sales in the world’s biggest smartphone market. They will offer discounts of 5% on its top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max model, cutting prices by up to 500 Yuan ($70). This limited time promotion will run between Jan 18-21 to mark Lunar New Year celebrations that commence mid-February.
Apple announced on September 15 that they are offering deep discounts on the iPhone 15 series since their debut. This follows disappointing sales figures in China where analysts believe local rivals such as Huawei are making headway. Online retailers in China have begun offering deep discounts within weeks of release on Chinese e-commerce platforms to attract shoppers with bargains ahead of holiday season shopping sprees; such deals have not been seen from Apple directly up until now.
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