Problems in the Far East

iPhone sales slump in China in February

Apple sold around a third fewer iPhones in China last month. According to official government data, only around 2.4 million smartphones from foreign manufacturers were shipped in China in February due to the later New Year celebrations. 

Apple accounts for the largest share, as the company is the only foreign supplier with a significant market share in the country. This means that Apple sold fewer iPhones for the second month in a row. In January, Apple sold a total of 5.5 million devices, 39 percent fewer phones than a year earlier, according to figures from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.

The Cupertino, California-based company has been struggling in the world's largest smartphone market since the debut of its new iPhone. The return of Huawei as a serious competitor in the premium segment has cost Apple market share. The slowdown in iPhone sales prompted the US company to make rare discounts in January.

The overall Chinese smartphone market also shrank by almost a third in February, due to a general reluctance on the part of consumers. Analysts are still predicting growth over the course of the year. However, experts expect iPhone sales to deteriorate further.