iPhone 13 128GB Selling Price 5999 Yuan... Interpreted as a Move to Target the Chinese Market
Apple Ranks 4th in China with 13.3% Market Share in the First Half of the Year
[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese media reported that Apple will lower the price of the new iPhone 13 series targeting the Chinese market. Although the iPhone 13 is also evaluated as lacking innovation in China, there is analysis that its price will be set lower than the previous iPhone 12, drawing high interest from Chinese consumers in the new model.
The state-run Global Times reported on the 16th that the price of the iPhone 13 128GB, which is about to be officially released in China, will be set at 5999 yuan (USD 933). This is explained to be 800 yuan (USD 124) cheaper than the iPhone 12 128GB.
China, the first country for the iPhone 13 release, will start pre-orders from 8 PM on the 16th. The official release is on the 24th. Apple will release four models in China: iPhone 13, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max. Apple previously unveiled the new iPhone 13 series on the 15th (China time).
The media reported that initially, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting production disruptions and shortages of some parts, the price of the new iPhone was expected to increase. However, setting the price lower than the iPhone 12 is analyzed as Apple's strategy to increase sales in China, the world's largest smartphone market.
In fact, Apple is known to have increased the initial production volume of the new iPhone 13 by 20-30% compared to the previous model, targeting 90 million to 100 million units.
Smartphone industry expert Liu Dingding said, "The price reduction for the new product launch in China appears to be Apple's pricing policy to accommodate a larger group of Chinese consumers," adding, "Apple is expected to lower prices further in China to compete with Chinese Android phone companies."
The media also reported that Apple’s Greater China sales immediately after the iPhone 12 launch last year reached USD 21.31 billion, a 57% increase from the previous year, suggesting that Apple has established a strategy to expand sales in China and the Greater China region.
Gao Lingyun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, "More than 400 million Chinese middle-class consumers are an important revenue source for American companies," and added, "Apple's price reduction for the iPhone 13 launch in China can be interpreted as a sales policy to increase revenue in China."
However, Chinese media also expressed concerns about Apple's new product sales policy, stating that the price reduction for the new Apple product launch in China could significantly impact premium phone sales of Chinese companies such as Huawei.
Meanwhile, according to Strategy Analytics (SA), the smartphone market share in China for the first half of this year is led by Vivo at 21.2%, followed by Oppo at 21.2%, Xiaomi at 16.5%, and Apple at 13.3%.
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