Alex Omenye
Apple’s smartphone shipments in China surged by 52% in April compared to the same period last year, continuing a recovery trend observed in March, according to data from a research firm associated with the Chinese government.
The increase follows a challenging start to the year for the U.S. tech giant in the world’s largest smartphone market, where it faced escalating competition from local brands like Huawei in the premium segment.
Data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, released on Tuesday, indicated that shipments of foreign-branded phones in China rose by 52%, reaching 3.495 million units in April, up from 2.301 million units a year earlier.
Apple’s stock saw a 2.3% increase in premarket trading following the report. While the CAICT data did not specifically mention Apple, the company is recognized as the leading foreign phone manufacturer in China, suggesting that the surge in foreign-branded shipments is largely attributable to Apple.
In March, Apple’s shipments in China increased by 12%, marking a substantial recovery from the first two months of 2024, during which the company experienced a 37% decline in sales.
Apple’s sales are likely to receive an additional boost in May due to an aggressive discounting campaign launched on its official Tmall site in China, offering discounts of up to 2,300 yuan ($318) on select iPhone models. This discount is double what was offered in February.
Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook predicted iPhone sales growth in certain markets, including China, after the company reported an 8.1% decline in second-quarter revenue from the Greater China region.
The significant price cuts come on the heels of Huawei’s introduction of its new high-end smartphone series, the Pura 70, following the launch of the Mate 60 last August. In the first quarter, Huawei surpassed Apple to become the second-largest smartphone vendor in China and is enhancing its retail strategy by opening more flagship stores and expanding its distribution network. Huawei’s spinoff, Honor, currently holds the top spot.
Overall, smartphone sales in China increased by 25.5% to 22.7 million units in April, according to the CAICT data.
