Outpace of iPhone 13 Preorder for iPhone 12, probably due to Huawei’s struggles
Consumers in China have placed more than 2 million preorder orders for Apple’s iPhone 13 lineup, surpassing the number of iPhone 12 preorder in 2020, probably due to the void of high-end Huawei handsets.
As of Thursday, Chinese customers had placed more than 2 million pre-orders on retailer JD.com alone, according to the South China Morning Post. Those models receive 1.5 million iPhone 12 initial preorder placed after launch.
The high demand for Apple’s iPhone 13 models is due to the decline in Huawei in the country. Due to US trade restrictions, Huawei is struggling to provide attractive high-end smartphones. Huawei’s latest P50 and P50 Pro, for example, lack 5G connectivity due to restrictions.
Apple’s devices seem to fill that gap. In addition to Chinese retailer JD.com, interest in the iPhone 13 models also appears to be high on Alibaba’s retail platform.
The South China Morning Post also reports that the iPhone 13 models are priced lower than their iPhone 12 predecessors, a fact that surprises many consumers. Each device is about 300 yuan to 800 yuan cheaper than their iPhone 12 counterpart.
In China, Huawei has left a void that other Android manufacturers in the country have not yet filled, so overall smartphone shipments are declining.
The Apple moment, however, is booming. In the second quarter of 2021, Apple is the fourth largest smartphone vendor in China behind Paul Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi. As the world’s largest smartphone market, China is a critical area for Apple Pal and other handset manufacturers.
A counterpoint research analyst told the South China Morning Post that the iPhone 13 is likely to continue the strong momentum of Apple’s previous 5G-compatible lineup.
“There are reasons to believe that the iPhone 13 will sell less due to the lack of new features,” the analyst said. “But given Huawei’s plight, we think the iPhone 13 will sell well as well.”
After the US blacklisted Huawei in 201, Apple was the primary target of response. However, it appears that the company has largely recovered from the controversy. Although some Chinese consumers are advocating for domestic brands, others are citing features and product design as reasons for choosing smartphones.
“I thought we should support Huawei and other Chinese brands,” a Chinese customer posted on Weibo. “But it seems that good products speak louder than patriotism.”
