Apple dealers in China sell iPhone 15 Pro Max at US$160 discount, as rivals like Huawei lure away high-end consumers

The latest price cuts by authorised dealers more than double the maximum 500 yuan discount that Apple provided in mid-January

While recent iPhone models had only incremental upgrades, premium Android handsets have been making technological strides

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An Apple store in Beijing. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 8:00am, 2 Mar 2024

Apple-authorised retailers are offering steep discounts on the latest iPhone series in China, in a fresh round of promotions aimed at reviving sales there, as the Californian tech giant faces stiff competition from domestic brands, such as Huawei Technologies.

The top-of-the-line iPhone 15 Pro Max, launched last September, is selling for 8,849 yuan (US$1,230) on Alibaba Group Holding’s e-commerce platform Tmall and rival JD.com, roughly 1,150 yuan cheaper than the original price.

Alibaba is the owner of the South China Morning Post.

The discounts are part of the platforms’ sales promotion for International Women’s Day on March 8. Prices for the iPhone 15 series remain unchanged on Apple’s official mainland China website.

Shoppers look at the iPhone 15 Pro at an Apple store in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters

The latest price cuts by authorised dealers more than double the maximum 500 yuan discount that Apple provided in mid-January on its official online store, which applied to customers buying any models in the iPhone 15 line.

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