Obnews Tech Desk: China was once one of the biggest markets for Apple, but now demand for the iPhone there has declined sharply. Apple's sales in the Chinese market fell by 18.2% in the December quarter, causing huge losses to the company. China was Apple's second largest market after the US, but now the company is facing a tough challenge there.
Dominance of Chinese brands
Despite the decline in Apple's sales in China, there has been a tremendous increase in the sales of domestic companies like Vivo and Huawei. Huawei launched the Nova 13 series and Mate 70 series, which led the company's sales to grow by 15.5% on a year-on-year basis. According to Counterpoint analyst Mengmeng Zhang, this is the first time that Huawei has achieved the top position in the market despite the ban imposed on Huawei by the US.
iPhone 16 series not supported
The iPhone 16 series was launched with Artificial Intelligence (AI) upgrades, but users in China have not been able to take advantage of these features yet. The reason for this is Apple's search for a local partner that can provide on-device and cloud AI infrastructure. Apple is in talks with startups like Baidu Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd., and Zhipu AI, but no deal has been finalized yet.
Focus may increase on India
India could become an important market for Apple amid declining sales in China. Experts believe that Apple can now invest in India on a large scale. India is an emerging market for Apple products after China.
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Will India become the new centre?
Declining sales in China are a big blow for Apple, but it could be a golden opportunity for India. If Apple increases investment and production in India, it could prove beneficial for the country's economy and technology sector.
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