Apple’s smartphone shipments in China dropped 9% year-on-year in the first quarter,Watch Leverage Online making it the only major brand to post a decline, according to IDC. The US tech giant, now ranked fifth in the market, shipped 9.8 million units, securing a 13.7% share—down from 17.4% in the previous quarter. In contrast, Xiaomi led the market with a 40% surge in shipments to 13.3 million, while overall smartphone shipments rose 3.3%. IDC analyst Will Wong noted that Apple’s high pricing strategy limited its ability to benefit from new government subsidies rolled out in January. These subsidies, which drove market growth, offer consumers a 15% rebate on electronics priced under 6,000 yuan (about $820), a range that excludes most of Apple’s products. This pricing mismatch has impacted Apple’s competitiveness in the world’s largest smartphone market. [Reuters]
