Could the tide be turning for Apple in China? While the iPhone was one of the safe bets among young people, more and more of them are abandoning it for national models, and above all much cheaper.
In 2022, sales statistics showed that the iPhone 13 crushed the competition and largely dominated the market. Far behind were the Galaxy S22 and various models from Samsung’s Galaxy A line. But behaviors are changing and today, Apple’s sales are no longer so flourishing.
Globally, iPhone sales in the first quarter of 2023 reported $65.775 billion. The drop is therefore estimated at 8%, since over the same period of 2022, Apple had collected 71.628 billion dollars with its phones. In China more particularly, where the market is still very flourishing, Apple’s smartphones brought in 23.905 billion dollars, against 25.783 the previous year. Without being completely at half mast, the iPhone does not seem to be as attractive as before. And according to a recent study, it is especially young people who no longer adhere (or much less) to the Apple ecosystem.
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Young people are abandoning iPhones in favor of more affordable models
According to Luo Hao, an analyst at the School of Economics and Management at Nanchang University, the reason for the situation is the lack of innovation shown by the different versions of the iPhone 14. “If it s It’s an improved version of the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 actually doesn’t bring a lot of improvements,” he explains. This is also what we found during our tests last year of the various iPhone 14s. It must be recognized that, despite its many qualities in terms of photos, ergonomics and power, the latest iteration of iPhone is rather stingy with novelties. In defense of the Apple smartphone, this has also been the case with competing models: few really relevant innovations can partly explain why users no longer change smartphones as often as before.
Nevertheless, the same analyst adds that the new generation, that born in the 2000s, has more likely to rely on national brands (Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo or even Huawei), while older generations worshiped foreign companies. One of his students also adds that current smartphones are mainly used to chat and consult social networks, browse the Web or launch relatively basic applications. Young people give more importance to the cost of their device and it is on the side of the competition, generally much more affordable, that they find their happiness.
Source : mydrivers
