Posting on SNS and Visiting China After About 7 Months
iPhone 15 Underperforms Compared to Previous Model... Huawei Shows Strong Performance
Apple CEO Tim Cook is making a return visit to China after seven months. This move draws even more attention as it comes amid sluggish initial sales of the recently launched iPhone 15 series in China.
On the 16th (local time), Cook announced on his Weibo (China's social networking service) account that he visited Chengdu. He posted a night view photo of Anshun Bridge in Chengdu taken with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, explaining, "This beautiful photo was taken with the iPhone 15 of the Anshun Bridge, which has a long history."
On the same day, he also mentioned the popular Chinese smartphone game "Wangzhe Rongyao" (Honor of Kings). Cook said, "Honor of Kings, which is currently gaining worldwide popularity on the App Store, was born in Chengdu," adding, "I thank all participants who joined the game at the Apple Taiguli Chengdu store."
Photos taken by netizens showing Cook walking around the streets of Chengdu were also posted on Chinese SNS platforms including Weibo.
This is Cook’s first visit to China in about seven months since March. For Apple, the U.S. and China are indispensable core markets. China accounts for about 20% of Apple’s total sales.
At the time, Cook emphasized at the China Development Forum, "China is innovating rapidly and will accelerate even more," adding, "We have had a kind of symbiotic relationship for a long time."
iPhone 15 Sales in China Plummet
Cook’s visit comes amid initial iPhone 15 series sales in China falling short of expectations.
On the 16th, market research firm Counterpoint Research reported that iPhone 15 sales in China over 17 days since its launch decreased by 4.5% compared to the same period last year for the iPhone 14 series. Analysts at investment bank Jefferies also predicted that iPhone 15 sales have declined by double-digit percentages compared to its predecessor.
Meanwhile, Huawei, which has succeeded in mass-producing high-performance Chinese smartphones despite U.S. technology sanctions, is enjoying strong sales with its new "Mate 60 series." Counterpoint estimated Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro sales this year to be at least 5 to 6 million units. Last year, Huawei sold a total of 22 million smartphones.
Apple held the top market share in China (20%) as of the first quarter this year, but if the current sales slump continues, Chinese companies are expected to regain the lead next year. Jefferies pointed out, "The decline in demand in China will eventually lead to a decrease in iPhone shipments in the global market."
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