Apple announced its first discount event of the new year to recover its declining market share in China. From January 4 to 7, eligible payment methods will provide discounts of up to 800 yuan (approximately 160,000 won) on major products such as the iPhone, MacBook, and iPad. Notably, the MacBook Air (M3 model) will see a discount of 800 yuan, while the iPhone 16 Pro model will have a discount of 500 yuan.
The starting price for the basic iPhone 16 is 5,999 yuan (approximately 1,200,000 won), and the Pro model starts at 7,999 yuan (approximately 1,600,000 won), having offered a similar discount event last October. Consumers can also receive subsidies of up to 1,100 yuan (approximately 220,000 won) due to China's replacement support policy.
Chinese media noted that Apple's discount event is expected to contribute to boosting sales performance against local brands ahead of the Lunar New Year.
The Chinese smartphone market is fiercely competitive with Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO. In particular, Huawei increased its premium smartphone shipments by 34% in the third quarter of last year compared to the previous year, expanding its market share to 33%, closing the gap with Apple (52%). Huawei is intensifying its offensive by lowering prices on some products by up to 20%.