Apple’s top executive, Tim Cook, recently graced the tech giant’s Taikoo Li store in Chengdu, China. During his visit, he witnessed a local gaming tournament featuring the popular Tencent game, Honor of Kings.
Engaging with shoppers and the store’s staff, Cook was upbeat about the event, taking to Weibo to express that “the energy tonight was off the charts!” Additionally, Cook paid a visit to the Yucheng elementary school to observe how students employ the iPad in preserving local culture.
This sudden visit gains significance as it follows closely on the heels of two studies by Counterpoint Research. These studies suggest that iPhone 15 sales have seen a dip of 4.5% when compared to the previous year’s iPhone 14 sales in the Chinese market.
Consequently, Apple’s share price has taken a hit. Given this context, the media has been quick to link Cook’s trip to apprehensions over iPhone 15’s market performance in China.
However, Cook’s engagement on Weibo wasn’t without its controversies. After sharing an image of Chengdu’s nightscape, captured on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, the post was inundated with negative feedback.
Many netizens lamented the perceived inferior quality of the picture, drawing unfavorable parallels with photos from Chinese smartphones, specifically referencing Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro.