Apple’s iPhone prices slashed by up to a third in China amid competition with Huawei, Xiaomi

Although Apple did not officially announce price cuts, iPhone discounts are widely available among distributors

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Customers visit an Apple Store at a shopping mall in Beijing, April 10, 2025. Photo: AP

Published: 9:00pm, 13 May 2025

iPhone prices on major Chinese e-commerce platforms have dropped by as much as one-third, or 2,500 yuan (US$346), amid fierce competition between Apple and local vendors such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi.

Although Apple did not officially announce a price cut, discounts are widely available among distributors. In addition, the Chinese government is offering residents in nearly 30 cities and provinces, including Beijing and Shanghai, a subsidy of up to 500 yuan for smartphones priced under 6,000 yuan.

The subsidy, designed to stimulate consumer spending and boost the sluggish Chinese economy, has been a major force in driving sales of mid-to-high range local brands such as Xiaomi and Huawei.

A man checks an iPhone 16 Pro as the new model goes on sale at an Apple Store in Beijing, September 20, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Until now, most iPhones have not been eligible. However, an iPhone 16 Pro with 128 gigabytes of storage has been discounted by 2,000 yuan to 5,999 yuan on JD.com and Alibaba Group Holding’s Tmall, making the premium model eligible for the subsidy. As a result, the selling price of the iPhone 16 Pro is 31 per cent less than the official price on the mainland.

Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

Some other models have also become more affordable with the new discounts, including the top-end iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at 9,999 yuan with 256GB of storage. It is now priced at 8,599 yuan on JD.com.

While Apple has kept prices unchanged on its official website, the US consumer electronics giant has notified some local distributors of discounts of as much as US$176 per unit, according to local media outlet ITHome.