Apple has recently suffered a double whammy in sales in two of the world's largest markets. In China, the world's largest smartphone market, Apple's sales fell 19 percent from last year, a significant decline. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Apple's activations also hit a six-year low.
According to the latest market research firm Counterpoint, iPhone sales in the Chinese market fell 19% in the first quarter, falling to third place, a performance that is considered the worst quarterly performance of the iPhone in the country since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic in 2020.
Not only that, but the iPhone's performance in the U.S. market is also unsatisfactory. The latest data shows that the iPhone, which once dominated the market, now accounts for only one-third of all newly activated smartphones in the United States, down from 40% last year. Many attribute this to Apple's "toothpaste" updates in recent years, while Android devices have been encroaching on the iPhone's share through constant updates, just as iOS and Android have squeezed competitors such as BlackBerry and Windows out of the market.
In addition, many commentators believe that the continuous extension of the life cycle of smartphones has also affected Apple, and the decline in activation rate is an important indicator of consumer behavior in the smartphone market, showing that consumers are increasingly reluctant to upgrade their devices as quickly as before, and are more inclined to wait for updates or technological changes that are more worthwhile before choosing to update their devices.
It has to be said that in the increasingly fierce competition in the smartphone market, consumer demand is becoming more and more changeable, Apple is facing a lot of challenges, although Apple was known for its innovation and quality, but the changes in the market require the company to constantly adjust its strategy to adapt to the preferences of consumers in different regions, especially now that the Android camp is no longer what it used to be, I am afraid it is time for Cook to study how to recover more lost consumers.