The iPhone 15 is cold, Apple's high-price strategy is shaken, will domestic mobile phones overtake?
Apple suffered a waterloo in the Chinese market, and sales of the iPhone 15 series were sluggish. The data shows that in the first six weeks of 2024, it fell by 24% year-on-year, and even if the price reduction exceeded 1,000 yuan, it still could not stimulate demand. Lack of innovation and surprise have become the main reasons. The high-price strategy has also been questioned, the average selling price of a single machine has continued to rise, the gap with domestic models has narrowed, and the low cost performance has affected the desire to buy. The position of the Chinese market is threatened, and domestic brands are rising rapidly in the high-end market, their share is eroded, and their rankings have fallen.
The rise of domestic mobile phone brands is inseparable from the continuous enhancement of hardware strength. The configuration is becoming more and more flagship, narrowing the distance with Apple, and innovative applications such as self-developed chips and folding screens are frequently unveiled. Domestic manufacturers have increased investment in the high-end market, aiming at high-end users, enhancing brand image, and high cost performance has become the main selling point.
The increasing perfection of the ecosystem is also an important reason for the rise of domestic mobile phones. The integration of mobile phones, tablets, PCs and other terminals, and the support of software such as operating systems and large models provide users with a more complete experience. Taking Huawei as an example, the HarmonyOS system is deeply integrated with mobile phone hardware, combined with its own large model, to achieve a significant improvement in intelligent experience.
The competitive landscape of the mobile phone industry is bound to change. The high-end market will be white-hot, and brands such as Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi will compete fiercely on this track, and innovation and cost performance will become key factors. Folding screen models may dominate high-end flagships, and as prices drop, the penetration rate will continue to increase. The wide application of AI large models may change the rules of the industry game, the intelligent experience will be comprehensively upgraded, and the ecological construction will become a new track.
For consumers, there will be more high-quality options in the future. The price of flagship models has dropped, innovative features continue to emerge, and the replacement cycle may be shortened. The comprehensive upgrade of intelligent experience such as AI assistant and image processing will also further expand the functional boundaries of mobile phones. In the future, the competitive landscape of the mobile phone industry will change, and consumers will be the biggest winners.
In connection with the above, the competition pattern of the mobile phone industry will change dramatically in the future, and the high-end market will be white-hot.
Apple has long held a leading position in the high-end market, but in recent years its ability to innovate has been questioned. Although the iPhone 15 series has improved in terms of photography and navigation, the overall innovation is weak and lacks surprises, making it difficult to meet the increasing needs of consumers.
Domestic mobile phone manufacturers have made great efforts in high-end flagship models. Taking the Huawei Mate 60 series as an example, it is not only equipped with the latest Kirin 9000 chip, but also adopts a foldable design for the first time, and has an industry-leading imaging system. Vivo's X90 Pro+ is the first phone to support infrared night vision, which can take sharp photos in complete darkness. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a collection of Xiaomi's latest scientific and technological achievements in the fields of imaging and charging over the years, and is known as the "strongest flagship of the year".
In addition to hardware innovation, software ecosystem experience is also a key area for vendors. The HarmonyOS system is deeply integrated with Huawei's mobile phone hardware, combined with its own large model, to achieve a significant improvement in intelligent experience, voice assistant, image processing and other functions perform well. Xiaomi and vivo are also iterating on their own MIUI and Origin OS, striving to create a smarter and smoother experience for users.
In the face of the crazy catch-up of domestic mobile phone brands, Apple is also increasing its investment in the Chinese market. Although the iPhone 15 series suffered a cold reception, Apple did not stop there, but slashed prices and promotions in an effort to recover the lost ground.
It remains to be seen whether price cuts alone will be able to revive the boom. The iPhone 15 series itself has limited innovation, and the gap with domestic models is getting smaller and smaller, and it is difficult to shake the minds of consumers with its price advantage alone.
Apple needs to work real innovation to regain consumer affection. For example, breakthroughs have been made in the fields of folding screens and large models to bring users a new experience. It is also necessary to speed up the pace of construction of the ecosystem, form a deep integration with mobile phone hardware, and provide users with more complete solutions.
In the future, the competition in the mobile phone industry will be extremely fierce. Domestic mobile phone brands are rising rapidly with their cost-effective advantages and innovative strength, and Apple will not sit still. Consumers will be the biggest winners, enjoying more high-quality choices and intelligent experiences. For mobile phone manufacturers, only continuous innovation can be invincible in this white-hot competition.