Apple’s latest launch- the comparatively cheaper iPhone 11 seems to be the most popular pre-ordered model by Chinese consumers.
According to an analysis by CNBC, consumers in China have to pay a premium above the U.S. price that’s between 10.5% and 12.5% for the iPhone 11. The cheapest model starts at $777 i.e. at 5,499 yuan. This is way lesser than last year’s iPhone XR which commanded a 28% premium.
Apple was forced to slash its iPhone prices in China for that series. However, the cheaper iPhone 11 pricing has got Chinese consumers interested.
Of all the iPhone 11 pre-ordered devices, 22% ordered the 64GB iPhone 11 and 40% reserved the 128GB iPhone 11.
Wait times for the 128GB and 64GB iPhone 11 have stretched to October 3. This is nearly two weeks after the release date of September 20. Some of the color options for the iPhone 11 have a delivery date as late as October 15. The iPhone 11 Pro Max, on the other hand, has a delivery date estimated to be September 26 in China.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max 256GB model is the next most-popular pre-ordered model on Fenqile. This accounts for nearly 13% of the total iPhone 11 volume ordered on the platform. While the iPhone 11 Pro Max 256GB model starts at 10,899 yuan, it should be encouraging for Apple that a few consumers are still buying the higher priced models.
According to market research firm Canalys, Apple has had a hard time in China. In Q2 2019, its shipments declined 14% YoY while its market share dropped to 5.8% from 6.4% in the same period last year.