The iPhone 16 series is reportedly already available in the country at a discounted price

Some major Chinese e-commerce platforms have significantly reduced the price of Apple’s new product iPhone 16 series ahead of its official launch, signaling potentially weak demand in the world’s largest smartphone market. The price cuts come as consumers await Apple’s first artificial intelligence (AI) software on the device, which will not be available in Chinese at launch.
Pinduoduo by PDD Holdings offers iPhone 16 Plus (512GB) for 8,999 yuan ($1,268), a 10% discount from the official price, according to the South China Morning Post. The 128GB iPhone 16 model is getting an even bigger discount of 11%.
On AlibabaPlatforms including Taobao and Tmall are top-notch iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) is sold at a 4% discount. Tmall also offers interest-free 24-month installment plans for Apple phones.
The discounts suggest Apple is struggling in China, a key market for the tech giant. The iPhone 16, due out this Friday, lacks the AI ​​features seen as its main selling point. While Apple plans to launch its AI system in English in the US next month, Chinese language support won’t be available until next year.
Initial reaction on Chinese social media was also reportedly tepid.
Globally, iPhone 16 series pre-orders in the first weekend were down nearly 13% compared to last year’s iPhone 15 launch, partly due to the lack of Apple Intelligence at the time of publication, TF International Securities analyst reports Kuo Ming-chi.
Apple’s position in China is further challenged by intense domestic competition. The company recently dropped out of the top five smartphone vendors in China by quarterly shipments, with local brands now dominating the premium segment, according to research firms Counterpoint and Canalys.
Jefferies analysts noted that despite these challenges, Apple reduced the resale value of older devices in China by up to 16%, confirming its confidence in its market position.