Apple's latest smartphone model, the 'iPhone 15,' has been released, but Chinese consumers are showing lukewarm reactions. Unlike previous launches that immediately topped popular search terms on portal sites and were accompanied by numerous product analysis live broadcasts, this time it has failed to generate significant buzz. This contrasts sharply with the recent surge of patriotic consumption following the release of Huawei's 'Mate 60 Pro.'
According to Baidu, China's largest local portal site, and the social networking service (SNS) Weibo on the 13th, news of the iPhone 15 launch has not attracted much attention in China. In the case of the previous iPhone 14, it drew attention by ranking high in search terms from the day before its release, and live broadcasts covering the launch event saw explosive simultaneous viewers, becoming a hot topic. However, as of 9:30 AM China time, there are no iPhone-related contents found among popular search terms or popular posts on portal sites and SNS. The iPhone 15 was unveiled at 1 AM that day in China.
Locally, reports introduced that the Lightning connector has been replaced with a USB-C charging port and that the device has become lighter due to its titanium material. However, there are also lukewarm responses saying that there is not much change compared to previous models and that it does not exceed expected levels. Chinese media outlet Tencent News evaluated, "There is nothing surprising, and there is no change," adding, "It is exactly as previously revealed." They also pointed out that the presentation has been getting shorter with each iteration. Tencent News diagnosed, "The fact that the conference is getting shorter compared to the past gives the impression that Apple does not have much content to present to users."
The lukewarm response in China is also seen as part of the strengthened patriotic consumption in the consumer market following the recent release of Huawei's Mate 60 Pro. Huawei, China's largest telecommunications equipment company, recently launched the new premium smartphone Mate 60 Pro equipped with a 7nm (nanometer, one billionth of a meter) process processor. Locally, there is a sentiment that Huawei has succeeded in technological self-reliance by neutralizing the U.S. semiconductor export controls on China.
The Mate 60 Pro, which Huawei is releasing in small batches to the market, has recently recorded sold-out lines and received positive responses. According to major foreign media, Huawei has reportedly raised its shipment target for the Mate 60 series by 20% for the second half of the year. Accordingly, Huawei's smartphone shipments this year are expected to reach at least 40 million units.
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