First Published: Oct 30 2023 | 11:09 AM IST

By Jinshan Hong and Vlad Savov

There is growing evidence that Apple Inc.’s latest iPhone is falling shy of its predecessor in China, suggesting a setback for the world’s most valuable company in its most important overseas market.

 

The iPhone 15 series saw a 6 per cent decline in sales in its launch month compared with the prior year, according to data from market researcher GfK that covers end-consumer sales for all channels. Mobile industry tracker IDC estimates Apple’s shipments were down 4 per cent in the third quarter, with both identifying Huawei Technologies Co.’s return to the mobile arena spotlight as a key event in the period. Huawei’s Mate 60 series recorded sales of close to 1.5 million in its launch month, more than doubling from a year ago, GfK said, despite facing supply constraints.

“Against the backdrop of the strong growth of Huawei, Apple iPhone 15 series registered a 6 per cent decline in sales,” said Hayden Hou, China senior analyst at GfK. “Huawei Mate 60 series will continue to maintain its strong sales momentum going forward.”

Shenzhen-based Huawei abruptly released its Mate 60 and 60 Pro smartphones in the weeks leading up to the latest iPhone’s launch, drawing buyers and attention with its made-in-China Kirin processor, an apparent breakthrough in its fight to overcome US trade sanctions.

Counterpoint Research and Jefferies analysts released preliminary sales figures for China earlier this month, indicating the slump for Apple could be as big as a double-digit percentage as the country’s economic challenges hit consumer demand. With the iPhone 15, Apple upgraded several key features of its lineup, but has not been able to stir growth in the world’s biggest mobile market.

Apple gets about 20 per cent of its revenue from China, second only to the US. In addition, virtually all of the world’s iPhones are manufactured in China, through partners such as Foxconn Technology Group.

But rising tensions between the US and China have put Apple in a precarious spot. Beijing is expanding a ban on the use of iPhones in certain departments of government-backed agencies and state-owned enterprises, Bloomberg News reported in September.

The US company has also been exploring ways to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing by expanding production into India and Southeast Asia, with uncertain longer-term ramifications. This month, Beijing launched a probe into taxes and land-use at Foxconn, Apple’s most important iPhone assembler, further muddying the waters in China.

In the latest IDC report, local brands Honor Device Co. and Oppo took the top two spots in China in the past quarter. Honor, which was spun off as an independent business from Huawei in 2020, introduced several foldable models in recent weeks, focusing on the segment of the smartphone market that is still showing robust growth.

Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, introduced two new subscription plans on Friday (local time), including a Premium+ tier for users willing to pay for an ad-free experience, according to a page detailing the features of the subscription.

Premium+ tier that costs $ 16 per month and offers the “largest reply boost” and removes ads from the For You and Following feeds.

The second tier launching is called “Basic” and costs $ 3 per month. The tier doesn’t come with a blue checkmark, but includes basic features like the ability to edit posts and post longer text and videos. It also offers a “small reply boost.”

“We’re also launching a new Basic tier for $ 3/month (when signing up via Web) that gives you access to the most essential Premium features,” posted X.

Since taking over last year, owner Elon Musk has begun searching for ways to monetize the platform and even started making users in New Zealand and the Phillippines pay $ 1 per year to access X.

The latest move by Musk intends to bring in additional revenue. Premium+ tier comes with revenue-sharing, along with access to other creator tools.

Premium Plus builds on the perks that come with X’s standard Premium plan (formerly Twitter Blue), which includes a blue checkmark, the ability to edit tweets, longer posts, longer video uploads, encrypted direct messages, and more, reported The Verge.

Meanwhile, “Basic” option plan doesn’t let you pay your way to verification — it doesn’t include a checkmark — and subscribers will only receive a “small boost” to their replies. It also doesn’t include reduced ads or access to X’s media studio.

X is also planning to bundle video and audio calling for some users, in a push to turn the platform into an everything app, reported New York Post.

Musk has been exploring several options to extensively monetize the social media platform, which he acquired for $ 44 billion in October 2022.

He added a series of new features to X, including livestreaming, video and audio calls, and even plans to incorporate banking.

Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, introduced two new subscription plans on Friday (local time), including a Premium+ tier for users willing to pay for an ad-free experience, according to a page detailing the features of the subscription.

Premium+ tier that costs $ 16 per month and offers the “largest reply boost” and removes ads from the For You and Following feeds.

The second tier launching is called “Basic” and costs $ 3 per month. The tier doesn’t come with a blue checkmark, but includes basic features like the ability to edit posts and post longer text and videos. It also offers a “small reply boost.”

“We’re also launching a new Basic tier for $ 3/month (when signing up via Web) that gives you access to the most essential Premium features,” posted X.

Since taking over last year, owner Elon Musk has begun searching for ways to monetize the platform and even started making users in New Zealand and the Phillippines pay $ 1 per year to access X.

The latest move by Musk intends to bring in additional revenue. Premium+ tier comes with revenue-sharing, along with access to other creator tools.

Premium Plus builds on the perks that come with X’s standard Premium plan (formerly Twitter Blue), which includes a blue checkmark, the ability to edit tweets, longer posts, longer video uploads, encrypted direct messages, and more, reported The Verge.

Meanwhile, “Basic” option plan doesn’t let you pay your way to verification — it doesn’t include a checkmark — and subscribers will only receive a “small boost” to their replies. It also doesn’t include reduced ads or access to X’s media studio.

X is also planning to bundle video and audio calling for some users, in a push to turn the platform into an everything app, reported New York Post.

Musk has been exploring several options to extensively monetize the social media platform, which he acquired for $ 44 billion in October 2022.

He added a series of new features to X, including livestreaming, video and audio calls, and even plans to incorporate banking.

Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, introduced two new subscription plans on Friday (local time), including a Premium+ tier for users willing to pay for an ad-free experience, according to a page detailing the features of the subscription.

Premium+ tier that costs $ 16 per month and offers the “largest reply boost” and removes ads from the For You and Following feeds.

The second tier launching is called “Basic” and costs $ 3 per month. The tier doesn’t come with a blue checkmark, but includes basic features like the ability to edit posts and post longer text and videos. It also offers a “small reply boost.”

“We’re also launching a new Basic tier for $ 3/month (when signing up via Web) that gives you access to the most essential Premium features,” posted X.

Since taking over last year, owner Elon Musk has begun searching for ways to monetize the platform and even started making users in New Zealand and the Phillippines pay $ 1 per year to access X.

The latest move by Musk intends to bring in additional revenue. Premium+ tier comes with revenue-sharing, along with access to other creator tools.

Premium Plus builds on the perks that come with X’s standard Premium plan (formerly Twitter Blue), which includes a blue checkmark, the ability to edit tweets, longer posts, longer video uploads, encrypted direct messages, and more, reported The Verge.

Meanwhile, “Basic” option plan doesn’t let you pay your way to verification — it doesn’t include a checkmark — and subscribers will only receive a “small boost” to their replies. It also doesn’t include reduced ads or access to X’s media studio.

X is also planning to bundle video and audio calling for some users, in a push to turn the platform into an everything app, reported New York Post.

Musk has been exploring several options to extensively monetize the social media platform, which he acquired for $ 44 billion in October 2022.

He added a series of new features to X, including livestreaming, video and audio calls, and even plans to incorporate banking.

Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, introduced two new subscription plans on Friday (local time), including a Premium+ tier for users willing to pay for an ad-free experience, according to a page detailing the features of the subscription.

Premium+ tier that costs $ 16 per month and offers the “largest reply boost” and removes ads from the For You and Following feeds.

The second tier launching is called “Basic” and costs $ 3 per month. The tier doesn’t come with a blue checkmark, but includes basic features like the ability to edit posts and post longer text and videos. It also offers a “small reply boost.”

“We’re also launching a new Basic tier for $ 3/month (when signing up via Web) that gives you access to the most essential Premium features,” posted X.

Since taking over last year, owner Elon Musk has begun searching for ways to monetize the platform and even started making users in New Zealand and the Phillippines pay $ 1 per year to access X.

The latest move by Musk intends to bring in additional revenue. Premium+ tier comes with revenue-sharing, along with access to other creator tools.

Premium Plus builds on the perks that come with X’s standard Premium plan (formerly Twitter Blue), which includes a blue checkmark, the ability to edit tweets, longer posts, longer video uploads, encrypted direct messages, and more, reported The Verge.

Meanwhile, “Basic” option plan doesn’t let you pay your way to verification — it doesn’t include a checkmark — and subscribers will only receive a “small boost” to their replies. It also doesn’t include reduced ads or access to X’s media studio.

X is also planning to bundle video and audio calling for some users, in a push to turn the platform into an everything app, reported New York Post.

Musk has been exploring several options to extensively monetize the social media platform, which he acquired for $ 44 billion in October 2022.

He added a series of new features to X, including livestreaming, video and audio calls, and even plans to incorporate banking.