Not for clearing: iPhone is rarely discounted in China, what is it?

Wen | Wang Xinxi

Source | Hot micro -reviews

Apple just finished his financial report, and then Cook played a price war rarely in the Chinese market.

According to the latest report by Bloomberg, Apple CEO Cook said in an interview that Apple China was reduced by four days from July 29 to August 1. Payment can save up to 600 yuan when purchasing iPhone 13 and other products.

Today is the last day of the iPhone's phased discount.

The dislated discount has aroused the attention of domestic consumers. Many analysts believe that Apple may be for clear inventory, which is the iPhone 14 for the iPhone 14 in September. But Cook denied this statement saying that "this has nothing to do with the cleaning inventory."

Although the interest rate is less, this is a precedent that Apple has never previously opened. In the past, unless it is a major promotional node such as 618, Double Eleven, or after the release of the new product, it will slightly reduce the sale of previous generation products. Price, such as non -promotion nodes and the usual days before and after the release of new products, Apple's sudden announcement price discount is quite rare.

In fact, it is not important to clear the inventory. This wave of operations will obviously make the pressure of domestic mobile phones greater.

What signals did this abnormal behavior reveal?

At the third fiscal quarter as of June 25, Apple's revenue reached a level of US $ 82.959 billion, higher than the US $ 81.434 billion in the same period last year; the revenue growth rate was 1.87%, which was higher than the 1.7%of the previously expected; However, in terms of profit, Apple's profit fell to 19.442 billion US dollars in the third fiscal season, a year -on -year decrease of 10.58%. In terms of products, iPhone revenue increased by 3%year -on -year.

From the perspective of the entire mobile phone industry, this year has faced the lowest industry environment in the past 10 years. Nevertheless, whether it is iPhone sales or Apple's entire third fiscal quarter performance, it has slightly exceeded Wall Street expectations. But the "Wall Street Journal" commented that this is the one that Apple's worst performance since the July-September quarter of 2020. "

Although this is the worst performance in the past two years in Wall Street, the reality that needs to be recognized is that this performance is not caught up with other smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung, or other smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung.

In the trend of the overall industry environment, in the absence of high -end market competitors, Apple is seizing more and more market profits.

Not long ago, analyst Guo Mingzheng said that in the 5G mobile phone market, Huawei did not compete with Apple in front of the mobile phone market. Apple almost occupied China's entire high -end smartphone market. Because of its well -known reasons, Huawei can only launch 4G mobile phones.

Judging from the performance of 618 this year, the sales of iPhone are horrible. Among the top ten mobile phone sales, the sales volume of 9 other products is not as good as the iPhone13 sales.

According to the market research agency Strategy Analytics data, of the 14 million smartphones sold during the 6.18 shopping festival, Apple iPhone sold nearly 7 million units, accounting for half of the sales volume.

But even with such dazzling performance, it is the worst performance in Wall Street's eyes. It can be imagined that the greed of Wall Street capital and the high expectations of Apple.

From the current point of view, in the industrial environment of the smartphone market or the decline of the electronic consumer market, all players are facing a low tide in history, but the top two Samsung and Apple are still growing against the trend.

"Bankless Times" recently published an analysis report that Samsung Electronics provided 73.6 million smartphones in the first quarter of 2022, with a global market share of 23.4%; the global shipment of Apple in the second place was 5600 Thousands of units, 18%of the market share.

From the actual data in the report, compared with the same period last year, Apple's sales increased by 2.2%year -on -year, and Apple was the only manufacturer to achieve positive growth.

The report further pointed out that Xiaomi's market share has decreased by 18%year -on -year, and the market share of OPPO and vivo has also decreased significantly (year -on -year), respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively, respectively.

From the data released in the second quarter announced by Canalys, the global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of this year fell by 9%year -on -year due to economic downturn. However, the market share of Samsung and Apple is still growing against the trend. Samsung rose from 18%to 21%, and Apple rose from 14%to 17%.

In such a low tide environment, perhaps in Wall Street Capital, Apple, which has no opponent, is the only player who can cross the cycle and is not affected by the industry environment. But from the current point of view, even Apple is still difficult to cross outside the Three Realms and leave the influence of the industry's environment. In order to meet the expectations of the capital market, Cook has to let go of his body and start discounted in the Chinese market.

This may be the helpless move that Cook had to do. According to earlier IDC estimates, China's smartphone shipments have fallen by 12%this year, and the first quarter will continue to decrease by 14%in the first quarter in the second quarter, and it is expected to decrease by 14.8%. Under the low expectations of this future sales, Apple is also a bit anxious.

According to IDC's predictions this year, Samsung and Apple's shipments will remain positive, and will increase by 5.6%and 0.2%year -on -year. From the forecast of IDC, Samsung's growth is far beyond Apple. Therefore, for Apple, such a weak increase expectations are difficult to fill Apple's demand for growth.

Judging from the performance of the Chinese market, Apple's revenue in Greater China has fallen by 1%. How to achieve a performance beyond the market expectations, how to correct the income increase in the Chinese market, and maintain the positive cycle of profits. Heavy.

The localization of marketing, chase and please the Chinese market by winning victory

Therefore, this sudden discount can also be seen as Apple's pursuit. Among the mainstream domestic camps in the first half of this year, except for glory, other manufacturers' sales have a significant downward trend. The iPhone13 series is still in the stage of spring breeze proud.

Just one month later, the iPhone 13 series shipments were about one -third higher than the iPhone 12 series. This also raised Apple's delivery expectations for the iPhone14 series. While the Android camp's MediaTek customers' orders were cut 30%, Apple added the iPhone 14 series component orders.

Then from this perspective, while the iPhone13 series is selling, Apple has a wave of official promotions, to make a wave of shipments in a short period of time to make up for the year -on -year revenue of the Chinese market. The highlight financial report is paved. In fact, Apple has been considering the premium of high -end brands at the official level in the past many years, and has always insisted on not promoting marketing.

From the perspective of this year's 618, both in Tmall or in Jingdong, Apple has participated in the promotional activity of the platform Fang 618. From the score of 618, Apple tasted the sweetness of the high growth brought by the high growth brought by the promotion. This may be driving Apple to decentralize more authority to the local Chinese team.

The wind direction we smells is that Apple's localized sales team has begun to formulate corresponding marketing strategies for more consumer needs and changes in market competitive wind direction.

From this wave of discounts, if it is purely at the amplitude of discounts, it is only a slight profit, no pain and itching, but in fact, after 14 days of demolition, the after -sales service and interest -free staging that can be returned will be a kind of users who harvest the Android camp users. Hidden strategy.

For many young consumers or student groups that lack cash flow, Apple has a strong temptation to mobilize consumers' purchase demands in terms of service and installment.

Apple has different strategies for different countries and different national conditions. For example, this discount discount on the Chinese market shows the attention of users in the Chinese market, and Chinese consumers also eat this set.

After all, South Korea and Japan in Asia have not enjoyed this wave of offers, which even caused dissatisfaction among some Korean users, but Apple did not respond to the Korean market. Cook apparently knew that the Chinese market It is much larger and more important than the Korean market.

In addition, in the Japanese market, Apple not only does not discount, but also increases the price of the iPhone. According to the "Japan Economic News" report, Apple has made a maximum price of 20%of the iPhone 13 series mobile phones from July 1. Among them, the price of iPhone 13 Pro (128GB) is 144,800 yen (about 7211 yuan), which has increased by 22,000 yen (about 1095 yuan).

The reason is that some analysts believe that due to the sharp depreciation of the yen, Apple has to take measures to take income defense, and profits are always the first priority.

From the perspective of in recent years, Apple has become more and more understanding the Chinese market. With the further deepening of its localization in China, it also intentionally releases more moves to young users at the marketing level. Apple treats the Japanese and Korean markets and the Chinese market. The very different move is to release a stronger to please the Chinese market.

Apple's downward movement

Although Apple still stabilizes the iPhone's growth momentum in the environment, this slightly increased signs made Apple began to put pressure on sales expectations. Compared with last year, the situation in the second half of the year will be difficult to improve. At present, the price of iPhone at a price of more than 5,000 yuan is dominated. Apple began to try to be compatible.

In the Chinese market, due to the uncertainty of the epidemic and the reduction of consumers' future expectations, it will pursue more cost -effective and practicality. People's demand for brand premiums will be transferred to the demand for survival and life. Compared with consumption upgrades, people will be more more than people upgrade. Loen the relegation consumption.

Therefore, the consumption may further flow into the low -end market products, and the impact of high -end mobile phone products may be more obvious this year, and Apple may be the first.

In addition, from the current point of view, Huawei is spending a trough. The Huawei Mate 50 series will be released in September, and there is a Kirin 5G version. From the exposure news, the three products are Mate 50, Mate 50 Pro and Mate 50 RS, currently the supply chain has determined at least Mate 50 Pro will be equipped with a bangs screen, and there are many components hidden in the bangs area.

In addition, the Huawei P60 series has also reported three new models. Even Huawei has released a 5G mobile phone case in advance. From the current status, although Huawei has faded out of the high -end market in the past two years, its high -end brand premiums and market influence are still In the Huawei supply side improves a lot. If the shipment of Huawei's new flagship has a certain guarantee, it may put a certain pressure on the share of the iPhone in the high -end market. Therefore, from the perspective of the discounts of the iPhone, it may also be smelting the changes in the Chinese market, and instinctively made the defense action to keep the market share.

In the context of the entire global economic environment, the decline in consumption power, and the shrinking market demand, Apple's performance is still stable, and its benchmark status is beyond doubt. The author once pointed out that the opponent who defeated Apple has not appeared, but Apple may be temporarily defeated by Tian Shi. How to transition in the downturn period to test Apple's market response to adjustment ability and business wisdom.

Judging from the current discounts of Apple's iPhone in China, Apple is increasingly understanding the Chinese market, and it is also interested in consumers who meet the Chinese market at the marketing action level, especially young student groups.

But for Apple, this wave of discounts are not good for the iPhone14 series. It is eating the existing machine market. The high -priced iPhone14 series can not be sold in the expected. The demand may be stronger than the iPhone 13, but in fact, the iPhone14 series is lowered the order. According to Digitimes reports, due to Digitime's electrical capacity and other factors, the shipping target of the iPhone 14 series has decreased by 10%.

Therefore, the market trend is becoming more and more confusing, and it is increasingly difficult to predict the direction. In this case, Apple is inclined to seize some certainty things, and then start the current market competition. In this sense, in the face of a young consumers (student group) who do their best, apple, which is more and more grounded to put down idol baggage, and increasingly grounded, is the time when domestic mobile phones start marketing competition, they should think about thing.

Author: Wang Xinxi TMT senior commentator.

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