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Investing.com -- Apple’s smartphone sales in China fell 6% in the weeks before the iPhone 17 launch, a sharper-than-usual slowdown ahead of a flagship release, according to Counterpoint Research.
Apple wasn’t the only brand hit by sluggish demand. Xiaomi, Vivo and Honor (SZ:300870) all recorded weaker sales during the first eight weeks of the third quarter, while China’s overall smartphone market contracted 2% despite consumer subsidies.
Apple’s market share slipped to 12% over the summer, down one percentage point from a year earlier, leaving it in sixth place behind Vivo at 19% and Xiaomi , Oppo, and Huawei at 16% each.
Still, Counterpoint noted that price adjustments kept demand for the iPhone 16 Pro solid, helping it perform better than the iPhone 15 did in the same period last year.
The company is counting on the iPhone 17, which is seen as its biggest refresh in years with a new design and enhanced cameras, to spark a turnaround. The device will be available worldwide on Friday.
Apple introduced its latest iPhone lineup earlier this month, headlined by a new model called the iPhone 17 Air.
The California-based company kept pricing largely in line with last year but eliminated the 128GB storage option across the range.
The iPhone 17 Air, at just 5.6 millimeters thick, is Apple’s slimmest phone to date and will retail for $999. Sitting between the base iPhone 17 and the Pro versions, it marks the addition of a new premium tier to the lineup.
Apple also rolled out updated Apple Watch and AirPods models alongside the new phones.
In response, Xiaomi advanced the launch of its new flagship to this month, with CEO Lei Jun openly positioning its products against Apple’s.
Oppo, meanwhile, saw the strongest momentum thanks to its Reno 14 lineup, Counterpoint said, which has resonated with consumers by offering premium features at mid-range prices.
The Reno 14 series, with strong imaging, sturdy design, long battery life, and solid performance, has become one of China’s top-selling flagships after the iPhone 16 series, the report added.