Opinion | Why some Chinese consumers think an iPhone is worth two Huaweis or three Xiaomis

Some things in China have long been treasured as a symbol of social status: flats, cars, luxury brands, and expensive gadgets. While it is not easy for most Chinese to afford a decent home or an expensive car, owning a high-end smartphone – something that can be used on a daily basis – becomes the best option for many, especially the young, as a way to show off their taste.

That is why Apple’s iPhone, once the best option in the market without any challenger in terms of performance, was long seen as the smartphone of choice in China.

So it was no surprise when recent research by Shanghai-based MobData provoked controversy when it found that Apple iPhone users in China are generally less educated and hard-up, with fewer valuable assets, than users of other smartphones from brands such as Huawei Technologies or Xiaomi.

While I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the results, another finding in the report was also surprising. It indicated that the iPhone 6, launched by Apple in 2014, remains a favourite among Chinese users while later versions such as the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, both released a year later, were in second and third place.

These findings made me reconsider whether an iPhone that has been used for four years and probably had its original battery replaced could still be a symbol of value, or even of social status, in China these days.