Chinese online shopping sites are offering huge discounts—up to 2,530 yuan (about $351)—on Apple’s latest iPhone 16 models. This move is meant to boost sales, especially since Apple’s phone shipments in China dropped in the first three months of the year. China is Apple’s second-largest market.
These discounts come just before China’s popular mid-year “618” shopping festival, happening on June 18. Many online stores are slashing prices to attract more budget-conscious buyers, as the country’s economy slows down.
For example, JD.com is selling the iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) for 5,469 yuan, which is 2,530 yuan cheaper than Apple’s official price of 7,999 yuan. The regular iPhone 16 (256GB) is also listed at 5,469 yuan—1,530 yuan less than its regular price—thanks to government subsidies.
Alibaba’s Tmall is offering similar deals. There, the iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) is priced at 5,499 yuan, a discount of 2,500 yuan when coupons and subsidies are applied.
It’s unclear whether Apple is behind these price cuts or if the discounts are from the shopping platforms themselves. However, experts say Apple has used similar sales tactics before, especially during the 618 festival. These discounts help Apple qualify for China’s digital product subsidies.
Apple has sometimes cut prices directly or allowed other sellers to do so. Earlier this year, Apple even offered discounts of up to 500 yuan on its own website. Over the past year, Chinese platforms have also given special deals on iPhones.
Neither Apple, JD.com, nor Alibaba have commented on the current discounts.
According to IDC data, Apple’s smartphone sales in China dropped by 9% in the first quarter. In contrast, local brands like Xiaomi and Huawei grew by 40% and 10%, respectively. Smartphones are part of China’s larger plan to boost consumer spending, with cities like Beijing offering subsidies of up to 500 yuan for phones under 6,000 yuan
