Apple Attempts To Boost iPhone Sales In China Via Gifts, Cheap Smartphones Cause Of Woe

Sales of high-end smart devices in China have been falling over the last two-quarters, and Apple has been one of the worst to get hit due to declining iPhone sales. In an attempt to improve the image and appeal of the company’s brand in the second biggest market in the world, CEO Tim Cook went to China with gifts in tow.

Right now, the bigger slice of the pie in the Chinese smartphone market goes to low-cost units. This has led to a decline in sales of devices that are on the most expensive tier such as iPhones and Samsung phones, Digitimes reports.

Reportedly, vendors in the country are encouraging the sale of devices that are on the low-to-mid range levels, which are still capable of offering 4G connectivity. In contrast, iPhones or Samsung Galaxy lines are left to the wayside, without much fanfare, MacRumors notes.

Of the 149 million smartphone units that went to Chinese customers this quarter, Huawei got the biggest morsel, at 14 percent. Oppo and Vivo followed, at 12.7 percent and 11.2 percent, respectively. Apple was at the number five spot, with its share of the market not even cracking 10 percent.

In response, Apple is investing in a research center in China, which is one of the reasons why Cook had to go himself. The number of jobs has not been specified, however, VentureBeat reports.

Apple has also announced that one of its suppliers of parts, Lens Technology, is now committed to using more renewable methods at producing their goods. This is in line with the iPhone maker’s efforts at transitioning to sustainable and green practices, as vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple, Lisa Jackson stated.

“We want to show the world that you can manufacture responsibly, and we’re working alongside our suppliers to help them lower their environmental impact in China,” she said.