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Apple offers extra iPhone trade-in deals in China
Apple has announced extra trade-in discounts for customers purchasing new iPhones in China. This promotion will be available until June 18, as said on the company’s website.
This initiative aims to encourage more buyers in China’s competitive smartphone market.
Customers can receive enhanced discounts by trading in their old devices when upgrading to newer iPhone models.
Further information regarding eligible models and specific discount amounts can be found on Apple’s official website.
🔗 Source: Reuters
🧠 Food for thought
1️⃣ Apple shifts strategy amid declining Chinese market position
Apple’s additional trade-in discounts represent a significant evolution in its historically rigid pricing strategy, responding to declining market performance in China.
The company has fallen to fifth place in China’s smartphone market with shipments dropping 8% year-on-year in Q1 2025, according to multiple market research firms 12.
This marks a continuation of Apple’s market share erosion, which slipped from 16% to 14% between 2023 and 2024 as local competitors gained ground 3.
The trade-in promotion follows Apple’s January 2025 direct price cuts of up to 500 yuan ($68.50) on the iPhone 16 Pro during the Lunar New Year shopping season, signaling increasing willingness to compete on price 3.
These consecutive discounting moves demonstrate how Apple is adapting its pricing strategy in China, where Xiaomi has surged to first place with a remarkable 40% year-on-year growth 1.
2️⃣ Chinese government subsidies reshape competitive landscape
Apple’s additional trade-in offer appears strategically timed to counter China’s national smartphone subsidy program launched in January 2025, which has disproportionately benefited local manufacturers.
The government program offers subsidies covering 15% of sales price (maximum RMB 500) for devices priced below RMB 6,000 ($820), intentionally excluding premium-priced iPhones that start at RMB 7,999 4.
This policy intervention has directly contributed to China’s smartphone market growing 3.3% in Q1 2025, outpacing the global growth rate of 1.5%, with Chinese brands capturing most of the benefit 1.
