Apple is now positioned to be the largest smartphone maker in China despite the presence of several Chinese brands in the country. This is attributed to the growing sales of the iPhone, which saw a 46% increase over the past month.
Having said that, researchers believed that its dominance in China could extend to the European region as well.
Apple Dominates Smartphone Market in China After iPhone’s Sales Shoot to 46% Over Month
The Cupertino giant managed to record 46% MoM for the iPhone 13 in October 2021, according to analysts from Counterpoint Research. On the other hand, the Chinese smartphone brands only recorded 2% MoM in the same period, according to a report from AppleInsider on Monday, Nov. 29.
Per Tarun Pathak, the research director of the firm, Apple’s supply chain management fared better compared to Chinese OEMs. He added that the tech titan could have earned more profit if no shortages took place, especially on its Pro models.
Pathak also pointed out that Apple took advantage of the opportunity when Huawei saw a declining trend in its product. From there, the top position in the country “has been changing hands” since it took place.
“The market dynamics in changed again in October with Apple becoming the new #1 OEM for the first since December 2015. This was driven by the success of the iPhone 13 series, which was also launched cheaper than the iPhone 12 series in China,” Pathak said.
Varun Mishra, a senior analyst, said that Apple’s development shows a positive sign amid the slow growth of the Chinese smartphone market. The expert said that this hinted at consumers’ maturity to buy high-quality products over OEM.
Mishra continued that despite the ongoing shortages, the iPhone maker has been prioritizing its “higher-end and higher-margin devices.”
In 2017, Tech Times reported that Apple lost its title as the top-selling smartphone company in China because Oppo surpassed it. At that time, Counterpoint Research reported that the decline in sales was seen on the Q4 sales of iPhone 7 in 2016.
Apple is Working on Next-Gen Wireless Charger
In another report from Macrumors, Apple could likely revive the now-phased out AirPower through a future wireless charger that borrows a similar purpose with it. This was according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who believes that the Cupertino giant is not yet done in bringing a multiple-device charging accessory.
Several years ago, Apple announced some information about its charging product that would be released in 2018. However, none of its plans about this wireless charger happened. Amid rumors about development issues, Apple decided to cancel the project a year later.
What the Cupertino giant released was the MagSafe wireless charger which is intended to be an important accessory for iPhone and Apple Watch.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max Lawsuit
Last month, Chinese university students sued Apple after they complained that the iPhone 12 was sold without any charger. In addition, the complainants said that the included USB-C lightning cable was not compatible with the available chargers.