U.S. tech giant Apple announced on its Chinese website that some iPhone prices will be cut by 5%。The limited-time promotion will start on January 18 and run until January 21 as a Lunar New Year event and a warm-up for the mid-February holiday.。

Although Apple's latest iPhone 15 series has sold far less than previous models in China, the price cut is still an important move to attract consumers。Domestic rivals such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi offer more competitive models, and some companies and government departments restrict employees from using Apple devices, putting pressure on Apple to compete in the Chinese market, echoing the U.S. government's restrictions on Chinese apps for security reasons.。

According to a customer report by Jeffrey analysts, iPhone sales in China in the first week of 2024 were down 30% from the same period last year, compared with a 3% decline in all of 2023.。Analysts expect a tougher competitive landscape this year。

Apple stores in China begin selling its new iPhone 15 series on September 22, 2023。It's worth noting that Apple hasn't had a price cut for its latest iPhone in years, and this time the price cut was made when the iPhone 15 series was released in September, and surprisingly, it didn't continue to raise prices.。

Online shopping platforms, including Pinduoduo, have cut the price of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro by as much as 16% since the beginning of the year。Penny Cole, senior vice president at market research firm Canalys, said the discounts were not a surprise as Apple is under pressure to boost sales globally, particularly in China, due to increased competition and a waning willingness of Apple fans to upgrade.。

Canalys expects Apple's global sales to remain flat this year, but may decline slightly in China.。The situation suggests that Apple is struggling to maintain its position in the highly competitive Chinese market through price adjustments and promotions.。