In 2024, Apple President Tim Cook announced that China has become the No. 1 market for iPhones, officially replacing the United States.
At this time, some people said that what is more terrible than broken cores is that China has become the world's largest market.
Why did China replace the United States as the number one market? And what is the reason for this statement?
The source of this article comes from the official media [People's Daily and China Economic Weekly official website - "IDC: China's smartphone shipments in 2023 will be about 271 million units, and Apple, Honor, and OPPO are among the top three"] The specific link is at the end of the article But in order to improve the readability of the article, the details may be polished, please read sensibly For reference only
As soon as the Apple mobile phone was launched, it swept the world
Today, with the rapid development of technology, smartphones have long ceased to be a luxury, but have penetrated into all aspects of life.
However, looking at the world, almost all mobile phone brands do not have a high share of the Chinese market, and the only one that can spark with Chinese consumers seems to be the iPhone.
For Apple, the Chinese market is a "golden fertile ground" — both its huge user base and consumers' demand for high-quality products are enough to make any tech company salivate.
In 2007, the iPhone was born and became popular all over the world.
That year, in China, which was in the "non-smartphone era", was still using Big Brother.
It was at this time that Apple's mobile phone entered the Chinese market.
Looking at the environment at that time, China had ushered in a golden age of rapid economic growth, and the wealth accumulation and consumption level of most ordinary people were enough to support them in their pursuit of a better life.
Back then, Apple was aware of the infinite potential of the Chinese market.
In fact, China is moving from a "big country" to a "strong country", and the rise of the emerging middle class is an important driver of future development.
As a result, the iPhone, a foreign smartphone brand, has entered the public's field of vision.
Sure enough, as per capita GDP continues to rise, the yearning for a high-quality life is also intensifying in China, and the iPhone has been favored by more consumers.
In 2008, the Apple Store in Sanlitun, Beijing, opened, marking the beginning of Apple's retail deployment in China.
Over the next few years, Apple continued to open directly operated stores in major cities in China.
Coincidentally, these stores are not only sales channels for iPhones, but also the spread of Apple's brand culture, which has immersed countless Chinese consumers in the atmosphere of "fruit fans" frenzy.
Apple's gradual dominance in the Chinese market is largely due to its continuous product innovation.
The launch of each new generation of the iPhone will arouse the high attention and eagerness of consumers.
For ordinary consumers, there will always be people around them who stop and linger in front of Apple's direct stores, crazy in order to snap up a new phone.
The frequent reappearance of this scene has also invisibly imprinted the iPhone brand in people's minds.
It can be said that from the first entry of the iPhone into the Chinese market, to the continuous laying of retail channels in China, to the launch of each new product, Apple is making orderly and careful deployment, step by step.
Through this tenacious struggle, Apple finally occupied an unshakable position in China's high-end mobile phone market.
Data shows that in 2023, China has replaced the United States as the world's largest single market for iPhone.
As of the first quarter of 2023, Apple occupies almost one-fifth of the domestic market, and the rest is divided by Huawei, Xiaomi and many other domestic mobile phones, but there are many domestic mobile phones, and even the average score is difficult to catch up with Apple.
It can be said that China has completely become the most critical "lifeline" of the iPhone in the world.
The reason why the iPhone can become more and more popular in the Chinese market also has its own reasons.
The rise of the iPhone in the Chinese market
The iPhone was initially regarded as a status symbol to now become the mainstream choice favored by domestic consumers, and the success of the iPhone in China did not come suddenly.
Chinese consumers' fanatical love for the iPhone does not stem from pure blind admiration for foreigners, but from the yearning and pursuit of high-quality products.
Over the years, with its outstanding product quality, strong brand influence, and continuous innovation capabilities, iPhone has firmly captured the hearts and minds of domestic consumers, gradually building China into the world's largest single market.
For many Chinese consumers, the charm of the iPhone lies not only in its excellent product performance, but also in the brand value it carries.
It is based on this psychological expectation that the iPhone quickly won popularity in the domestic market.
Data shows that in the first year of the iPhone's launch alone, sales in the Chinese market exceeded 100,000 units.
It is worth mentioning that in order to better cater to the tastes of Chinese users, the iPhone has even launched a customized version in China.
This technique can be described as an expert, and it has made Chinese consumers more accepting of the iPhone.
In addition to the brand's charm, what attracts Chinese consumers the most is its outstanding product performance. In fact, the iPhone is not only a mobile phone, but also a smart terminal device that integrates a number of black technologies.
Whether it's the interactive experience, battery life, or shooting capabilities, the iPhone always gives people an unexpected surprise.
Because of this, the iPhone has established an image of great value for money in the minds of Chinese consumers.
Compared with many new domestic brands, iPhones often have a higher room for value retention.
Many people are keen to buy the latest generation of iPhones, wait until the old models are phased out, and then put them on second-hand marketplaces for sale.
If there is no big problem with the performance and the appearance is relatively new, it can usually be sold for about 20% off the official price, and the ability to retain value is quite amazing.
It can be said that the outstanding quality of the iPhone has won the trust of Chinese consumers, which has contributed to its high circulation value in the second-hand market, forming a virtuous circle.
In the past few years, there is no shortage of consumers in China who directly regard the iPhone as a financial product, even if they use it daily, they will always take care of it, looking forward to making a lot of money from it one day in the future.
In addition, there is another reason why Chinese consumers are rushing to the iPhone, that is, the price is no longer as "expensive" as it used to be.
In the past, high prices have been the biggest obstacle for consumers to buy iPhones.
But now, with the changes in the domestic market environment, this concern has also been dispelled.
In recent years, with the continuous expansion of domestic smartphone product lines, the price of domestic models has also increased year by year.
The price of a new Huawei mobile phone is basically around five or six thousand yuan, and in comparison, the price of the iPhone is not so outrageous.
Since it costs five or six thousand yuan to buy a new phone, many people will choose to buy an iPhone directly to meet their psychological expectations.
It can be said that with the upgrading of consumption and the adjustment of product lines, many domestic mobile phones have gradually lost their price advantage, and there is no longer much gap in price with iPhone.
Coupled with the brand power of the iPhone, its value in the hearts of domestic consumers far exceeds the price of pure hardware.
On the whole, it is no accident that the iPhone has been able to soar in the Chinese market.
Quality and innovation are the foundation of iPhone's existence, and value preservation and price competitiveness are key factors that make it attractive to Chinese consumers.
Domestic brands are struggling under the squeeze of Apple, and what they urgently need to do now is to innovate and improve their own quality.
Domestic brands have encountered many challenges
As a latecomer to technological development, domestic mobile phones have a certain gap with Apple in terms of core technology, product power and brand power, and they are suffering from unprecedented survival pressure under the strong intervention of iPhone.
It can be said that in China's high-end mobile phone market, iPhone is gradually encroaching on the living space of domestic brands.
To make matters worse, the iPhone not only has the upper hand in sales and profits, but also has a growing influence on Chinese consumers.
Due to its late start, the mainland has been relying on imports in core technology fields such as chips and operating systems, and its independent innovation capability is insufficient.
In addition, the product power and brand influence are limited, and it is difficult to compete with the iPhone.
In order to survive in the fierce market competition, domestic mobile phone companies urgently need to break through many obstacles, achieve independent and controllable key technologies, continue to improve product quality, and reshape brand image.
Only in this way can we truly win the favor of consumers and regain the dominance of the domestic market.
Objectively speaking, there is still a certain gap between the mainland and the developed countries in terms of the level of scientific and technological development, and it is inevitable that they will temporarily lag behind others in some high-end scientific and technological products.
However, this does not mean that we are to be beaten.
There is no end to the development of science and technology.
Overall, the rise of the iPhone in the Chinese market is a testament to the challenges faced by domestic mobile phone brands.
Only by effectively enhancing the ability of independent innovation and comprehensively enhancing the strength of products, can domestic brands be reborn and occupy a dominant position in market competition.
Resources
Reference news - "Apple's mobile phone sales will be the world's first in 2023" https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1788415558294650058&wfr=spider&for=pc
Hexun.com - "Agency: iPhone 14 is the best-selling model in 2023, iPhone models take the top seven" https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1791587051630193277&wfr=spider&for=pc
Zhongguancun Online - "Cook: China is the most competitive market in the world, optimistic about the development of iPhone in China" https://mobile.zol.com.cn/869/8698668.html
The official website of People's Daily and China Economic Weekly - "IDC: China's smartphone shipments in 2023 will be about 271 million units, and Apple, Honor, and OPPO are among the top three" https://www.ceweekly.cn/company/2024/0125/435494.html
Global Times - "Apple CEO: I am "very optimistic" about the Chinese market" https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1781584138665922409&wfr=spider&for=pc
Global Network - "China surpassed the United States in the second quarter to become the largest single market for iPhone shipments" https://tech.huanqiu.com/article/4E8Hwpq8Ftm