Apple dropping iPhone prices in China to celebrate 6/18 shopping festival

A person holds an iPhone displaying a contextual menu for the YouTube app, offering options like “Search,” “Subscriptions,” and “Create.” The background shows a blurred laptop screen. The person is using their other hand to interact with the phone, possibly browsing deals from the 6/18 shopping festival.

Apple will drop the price of its latest iPhone range – including the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and the new iPhone SE – to celebrate China’s 6/18 shopping festival.

According to a report from CNBC, the firm has dropped the price of the iPhone range on its own Tmall store, as well as on JD.com, which resells iPhones and other Apple products.

This is the second time that the company was engaged in the 6/18 shopping festival event.

Right now, shoppers can pick up an iPhone 11 with 64GB store capacity for 4,779 yuan ($669.59) on Tmall, which is down around 13% from its typical 5,499 yuan selling price.

The iPhone 11 Pro has similarly been discounted, now starting from 7,579 yuan rather than from 8,699 yuan, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max retails for 8,359 yuan, versus its original asking price of 9,599 yuan – prices that will no doubt encourage consumers to jump aboard iOS.

Perhaps the most exciting announcement is the iPhone SE, which was retailing for 3,299 yuan in China.

Now, it’s available for 3,099 yuan, the ideal entry point for budget-conscious consumers.

JD.com, which resells Apple’s products rather than offering a storefront for Apple, offers consumers even bigger discounts. The iPhone 11 is priced at 4,599 yuan, 11 Pro 6,999, and the 11 Pro Max 7,499 yuan, representing up to 21% off the retail recommended price.

The ecommerce giant will be offering discounts every day during the shopping festival, but those discounts could change from day-to-day. A spokesperson from JD.com said that Apple product sales were three times higher than this time last year as a result of the discounts.

It’s important to note that, although Apple is passing on discounts to resellers and through its own store on Tmall, the official Apple website and retail stores won’t be offering discounts, as this goes against Apple’s premium sales tactics and could undermine future purchases.

Apple reopened its Chinese retail outlets in March following a forced closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the firm has been working to recoup losses in the country.

Are you surprised to see discounts offered by Apple? Do you think the company should offer similar sales incentives in other markets? Let us know your thoughts and check back soon for more news and rumors on everything Apple, as and when we get it.

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