Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone was the only smartphone to see growth in China sales in January, according to Counterpoint Research.
Every major Chinese mobile maker, from Huawei Technologies to Xiaomi (XIACY), saw major declines in a market that was down 23% overall, largely due to reduced subsidies and a shift in the timing of the Lunar New Year, Bloomberg News reported, citing Counterpoint researchers.
The iPhone 17 lineup, however, helped Apple (AAPL) to 8% growth, raising its share of the market to roughly a fifth, sharing the lead with Huawei. Cupertino, California-based Apple has seen its flagship product stage a major comeback since the September introduction of new models.
“Apple stood out as the only major brand to achieve year-on-year growth, and its market share reached the highest January level in the past five years,” according to the researchers. “The iPhone 17 base version now qualifies for government subsidies, boosting its value-for-money appeal and driving a 9% month-on-month sales increase.”
There have been few discounts or price cuts for the iPhone 17 series so far, leaving room for further adjustments or margin optimization, they added.