Apple’s China sales rise with electronics consumer subsidy boost, but Huawei threat looms


Apple reported a sales boost in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the June quarter, aided by Beijing’s consumer subsidies, following a prolonged decline in the region amid intense competition and weak consumer spending.

In the three months ended June 28, Apple’s Greater China revenue grew nearly 4.4 per cent year on year, rising to US$15.37 billion from US$14.73 billion, according to the company’s latest financial results released on Thursday.

CEO Tim Cook attributed the quarterly growth, which followed years of declining sales, partly to the Chinese government’s consumer subsidy scheme for electronic products.

“The government has placed certain subsidies that affect some of our products, not all of them, but there are some of them, and I think that had some effect,” Cook said during an earnings call. “It was the first full quarter of the subsidies playing out.”

Shoppers browse products at an Apple store in Beijing. Photo: EPA
Shoppers browse products at an Apple store in Beijing. Photo: EPA

Sales of the MacBook Air, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro saw double-digit growth in China, with the MacBook Air emerging as the top-selling laptop in the country, according to Apple.

Launched earlier this year, China’s national subsidy programme aims to stimulate consumer spending by offering a 15 per cent subsidy on purchases of smartphones, tablets and smartwatches priced under 6,000 yuan (US$834).

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