Asian markets are becoming increasingly important for Apple. In the past, the People’s Republic of China was already the second most important market after the United States. On the other hand, India, the world’s most populous country, is considered a key growth market for Apple CEO Tim Cook, which is also becoming an important production site for iPhone & Co. However, the news situation for the group in both markets is currently quite different. There are reports from China of further decline in smartphone market share, while in India, analysts expect higher iPhone sales due to tax changes.
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China: No longer in the top 5
As recently published Data from market research company Canalys Show, Apple disappeared from the all-important top 5 largest smartphone vendors in China for the first time in years. In the second quarter of 2024, the iPhone company ranked only sixth – behind Vivo, Huawei, Oppo, Honor and Xiaomi, all of which are domestic brands. The Chinese market is finally growing again: more than 70 million units were delivered, with an increase of at least 10 percent compared to the same quarter last year.
The winner in the market was Vivo with 19 percent market share, followed by Oppo with 16, Honor and Huawei with 15 and Xiaomi with 14 percent. Apple finished only last among “others”, with a total market share of 21 percent. Apple is said to have achieved at least 14 percent market share, but according to Canalys, with 9.7 million iPhones sold, this was less than Xiaomi’s 10 million devices. Apple lost 2 percent compared to the same quarter last year, while Xiaomi gained 17 percent thanks to new devices. The information is conjectural; Apple itself no longer mentions iPhone unit numbers, only total sales.
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On the other hand, things are looking much better in India. Apple regularly posts price hikes, even though its devices are comparatively more expensive. However, that could change now. The Indian government has reduced the import duty on smartphones from 5 per cent to 15 per cent. This is effective from last week. Apple too responded immediately by reducing its prices 3 to 4 percent depending on the model. Apple has never made the Pro iPhones cheaper in India before. Depending on the model, the amount is more than 50 euros.
The group is also working on increasing production in the subcontinent. iPads will soon be made in India. At the same time, Apple is also on the verge of doing the same iPhones Pro in India The iPhone 16 Pro could be produced this year or next year at a factory in Tamil Nadu operated by Foxconn.
(B.Sc.)
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