Smartphone retailers in China say it's a tough sell of late with consumers reluctant to upgrade, put off by chill economic winds.
Even so domestic brands led by Huawei have made big strides, wooing consumers with top-notch hardware and innovative features as they move upmarket in the US$500-US$800 price range. The result: a loss of share in a key segment for Apple Inc and fresh price cuts for iPhones by Chinese retailers.
He Fan, CEO of Huishoubao which buys and resells used phones, said he has seen a consumer shift to Huawei from Apple, driven by the Chinese love of selfies and emphasis on camera quality. Huawei has had a tie-up with German camera maker Leica since 2016."Huawei's cameras have become noticeably better than Apple's in that they suit the tastes of Chinese consumers more," he said.
Apple, by contrast, saw its share of the segment tumble to 54.6 percent from 81.2 percent, also hurt by its decision to move even further upmarket with the iPhone X series."Most Chinese smartphone buyers are not ready to shell out beyond US$1,000 for a phone," said Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint."This left a gap in the below-US$800 segment, which Chinese vendors grabbed with both hands.
In earnings too, it seems to be a tale of divergent fortunes. Apple's October-December revenue from the Greater China region fell by about a quarter from a year earlier. Greater China currently accounts for 15.6 percent of its overall revenue. Huawei's shipments in Europe jumped 55 percent in the latest quarter and it now has 23.6 percent market share, according to Canalys. That's not far behind Samsung Electronics and Apple which saw small declines in shipments.If Huawei is taking the lion's share of turf that Apple once had in China, Oppo and Vivo - brands owned by electronics hardware conglomerate BBK - are the newest threats.
The devices came with features unavailable in the iPhone, including under-the-glass fingerprint sensors and"notchless" displays, both of which increase the size of usable screen.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Apple unveils new iPad, updates Mini ahead of video streaming launchApple Inc in a surprise announcement on Monday launched 10.5-inch iPad Air and a 7.9-inch iPad Mini ahead of its March 25 event.
Read more »
Apple launches 10.5-inch iPad, updates Mini ahead of March 25 eventApple Inc in a surprise announcement on Monday launched 10.5-inch iPad Air and a 7.9-inch iPad Mini ahead of its March 25 event.
Read more »
Apple Watch detects irregular heart beat in large US studyThe Apple Watch was able to detect irregular heart pulse rates that could signal the need for further monitoring for a serious heart rhythm ...
Read more »
Apple Watch detects irregular heart beat in large US studyThe Apple Watch was able to detect irregular heart pulse rates that could signal the need for further monitoring for a serious heart rhythm problem, according to data from a study funded by Apple, demonstrating a potential role for wearable technology in...
Read more »
Apple infringed three Qualcomm patents, jury findsMobile phone chip supplier Qualcomm Inc on Friday won a court victory against iPhone maker Apple Inc, with a jury in federal court in San Diego ...
Read more »
New York Times CEO warns publishers ahead of Apple news launchApple Inc is expected to launch an ambitious new entertainment and paid digital news service on Monday, as the iPhone maker pushes back against ...
Read more »
New York Times CEO warns publishers ahead of Apple news launchNEW YORK: Apple is expected to launch an ambitious new entertainment and paid digital news service on Monday (Mar 25), as the iPhone maker pushes ...
Read more »
Netflix says it will not join Apple TV serviceNetflix Inc will not make its programming available through a coming TV service expected to be unveiled by Apple Inc, Netflix Chief Executive Reed ...
Read more »
Apple says Spotify wants benefits of a free app without being freeApple Inc said on Thursday Spotify wants all the benefits of a free app without being free, as the iPhone maker responded to the audio streaming ...
Read more »
Apple unveils new iPad, updates Mini ahead of video streaming launchREUTERS: Apple Inc, in a surprise move on Monday, launched a new 10.5-inch iPad Air and updated its iPad Mini ahead of a March 25 event where it ...
Read more »