Catenaa, Thursday, July 03, 2025- Apple iPhone sales in China rose 8% year-over-year in the second quarter, with promotions, the first quarterly earnings growth recorded since 2023.
According to a report from Counterpoint Research, the sales bump was driven in part by promotional pricing for the iPhone 16 lineup, particularly the Pro and Pro Max models.
“Apple’s adjustment of iPhone prices in May was well timed and well received, coming a week ahead of the 618 shopping festival,” Counterpoint Associate Director Ethan Qi said. The 618 festival is an annual event in China during which brands typically offer discounts.
Huawei, the Chinese smartphone giant, saw sales increase 12%, beating out Apple for the largest growth in the period.
The company has done an effective job of capitalizing on brand loyalty in China, as consumers replace their old Huawei devices with new ones, Counterpoint said.
Shares of Apple rose by 0.5% on Thursday. The stock has lost roughly 15% of its value this year amid concerns about the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs, given Apple’s production footprint in China.
The company has shifted production to India, which led President Donald Trump in May to threaten a 25% tariff on all iPhones produced outside the US.
Bloomberg reported that Apple’s biggest assembly partner, Foxconn, has ordered more than 300 of its Chinese employees to return home from its iPhone factories in India.
Quoting Sources, the report said that the employees were told to return to account for the bulk of Foxconn’s staff in its iPhone facilities in India, and only Taiwanese support staff remain in the country.
