Apple Responds to Slowing China Sales With Lunar New Year Discounts

Thursday January 22, 2026 3:59 am PST by Tim Hardwick

Apple is offering discounts of up to 1,000 yuan ($144) on some products in China in anticipation of a holiday shopping rush and competitive pricing from local vendors, reports the South China Morning Post.

Apple iPhone 16 family lineup
Ahead of February's Lunar New Year, Apple's mainland China website and official stores are offering limited-time discounts on products including the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, as well as some MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods models. The discounts come into effect between January 24 and January 27.

Apple led the Chinese smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2025 with a 22 percent share, thanks to strong iPhone 17 sales. Despite the demand, sales are said to have been falling month on month, and the promotions are aimed at countering the decline.

China's smartphone market shrank 1.6 percent year on year in Q4 2025, while full-year shipments declined 0.6 percent. Counterpoint analysts have put the decline down to weak demand amid rising prices and global memory shortages.

Chinese government policies appear to have played a role too. Under government subsidies, consumers of electronics get a 15% refund of products that are priced under 6,000 yuan ($820). Apple partly missed out on the program, since its iPhone Pro models exceed the price cutoff, giving its local rivals an edge.

Tag: China

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Top Rated Comments

mdriftmeyer

11 months ago

Which is it Macrumors? Apple regains the top spot among smartphone sales in China and just one page later worries about slowing sales in China.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

CopiumWafu

11 months ago

That’s what I appreciate about the iPhone. Overall it does its thing best, which is why Apple makes more revenue per quarter than some countries. Thanks for highlighting that.

Did you get the phone exchanged by Apple?

That perception only made sense when the competition was laughable. Same reason Tesla dominated the electric car market. Look how the table has changed there. Being good at what you do and being reliable at what you do is not the same thing, and Tim Cook only actual innovation is a headset nobody cared about.
The claim that just because Apple makes a lot of money means they are innovative somehow(??) is nonsensical and is borderline whataboutism. It's fine to be happy with your Apple project and frustrated by the fact that Apple isn't even trying. Hopefully Apple's foldable phones will be a success and revitalize their wish to innovate.

And yes, I upgraded from an iPhone to a new iPhone.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

CopiumWafu

11 months ago

I am not surprised. All the Chinese brands are no longer looking towards Apple to make design decisions. They take changes, leaps and get better and better at it.
iPhone's has become extremely generic. The only actual difference between my current iPhone and my last one is a better camera and fewer scratches.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

sw1tcher

11 months ago

I am not surprised. All the Chinese brands are no longer looking towards Apple to make design decisions. They take changes, leaps and get better and better at it.
iPhone's has become extremely generic. The only actual difference between my current iPhone and my last one is a better camera and fewer scratches.

That’s what I appreciate about the iPhone. Overall it does its thing best, which is why Apple makes more revenue per quarter than some countries. Thanks for highlighting that.

Apple making more revenue per quarter than some countries does not address CopiumWafu's statement that the iPhone has become extremely generic.

Look at Apple's annual revenue and how much iPhone sales contribute to total revenue each year. It's been on the decline for the past decade.

Fiscal 2016: iPhone sales made up 63.4% of total revenue
Fiscal 2017: iPhone sales made up 61.6% of total revenue
Fiscal 2018: iPhone sales made up 62.08% of total revenue
Fiscal 2019: iPhone sales made up 54.73% of total revenue
Fiscal 2020: iPhone sales made up 50.19% of total revenue
Fiscal 2021: iPhone sales made up 52.48% of total revenue
Fiscal 2022: iPhone sales made up 52.11% of total revenue
Fiscal 2023: iPhone sales made up 52.33% of total revenue
Fiscal 2024: iPhone sales made up 51.45% of total revenue
Fiscal 2025: iPhone sales made up 50.36% of total revenue

That's why Apple decided to stop reporting iPhone unit sales starting with fiscal 2019, when iPhone revenue as a percentage of total revenue saw a big drop of 7.35% vs the prior fiscal year.

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/11/01/apple-no-unit-sales-data-earnings/

Apple's fastest growing segment is Services.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

I7guy

11 months ago

That perception only made sense when the competition was laughable. Same reason Tesla dominated the electric car market.

The word is dominates. Tesla makes a profit in every car. BYD loses on every car not sustainable unless the government is helping. That perception is true.

Look how the table has changed there. Being good at what you do and being reliable at what you do is not the same thing, and Tim Cook only actual innovation is a headset nobody cared about.

That’s why Apple makes more revenue per quarter than many countries.

The claim that just because Apple makes a lot of money means they are innovative somehow(??) is nonsensical and is borderline whataboutism.

You’re discussing a company that has great public perception, customers who buy their products and services and yes they are innovative.

It's fine to be happy with your Apple project and frustrated by the fact that Apple isn't even trying. Hopefully Apple's foldable phones will be a success and revitalize their wish to innovate.

And yes, I upgraded from an iPhone to a new iPhone.

It’s rough to dismiss apples success. You may not like the trajectory of the company but many do. You may not believe Apple is not innovative anymore, but people still do. Opinions.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)