Apple (AAPL, Financials) experienced a 21% decline in iPhone shipments in China in January compared with the same month last year, Jefferies said, citing internal channel checks. The firm said the drop reflected weak demand and limited price cuts from the U.S. technology company.
Jefferies’ January total smartphone sales in China dropped 17% year over year, implying further general market softening. Lead by Edison Lee, analysts at the company said Apple’s iPhone sales had been down by double digits after the Lunar New Year vacation.Released under a Chinese government subsidy scheme, the iPhone 16e did not stimulate demand, Jefferies claimed. The broker also said that Apple’s discounting in the area has primarily been limited to the online retailer Pinduoduo. Based on recent price reductions on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models on Pinduoduo, the research notes fast sales momentum.During the time, only Huawei and Xiaomi saw year-over-year shipment increases, Jefferies said. While Xiaomi’s performance stood out since it achieved growth with less aggressive sales, Huawei benefited from significant price drops, claimed the broker.Looking forward, Jefferies said it expects demand in the Chinese smartphone market to be poor until the first quarter of 2025. The company reaffirmed its wary approach on Apple and the more general phone industry.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
