Apple Facing Challenges in China After iPhone 16 Launched With Limited Design Change, Delayed AI Features, Debut of Competitor Tri-Fold Huawei Mate XT
Apple is struggling with the Chinese smartphone market as the competitor tri-fold Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design debuted in the country. The Chinese consumers also not happy with limited design change and delayed AI features announcement.
Beijing, September 11: The iPhone 16 series was launched globally on September 9, and following that, Chinese smartphone company Huawei launched its new tri-fold smartphone, the Huawei Mate XT, in the country on September 10 to compete with Apple's new products. Apple, despite being at the forefront of smartphone innovation and having a wide array of premium products, has been facing challenges in the China market due to the slow adoption of AI and rising competition.
Foldable smartphones are not new now, as they have been in the market for years; however, the iPhone maker has yet to introduce its foldable device. Smartphone companies like OnePlus, TECNO, Motorola, Vivo, Google, OPPO, Samsung, and Huawei have already introduced their foldables in the market, while Apple is still lagging behind. iPhone 16 Being Produced and Launched Globally From Indian Factories Under ‘Make in India’ Initiative: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Another major setback for Apple's iPhone 16 series is the delay in introducing AI features. Apple Intelligence, introduced in June 2024, is still in its early stages, while the other companies have already begun rolling out new updates for their AI ecosystem. Besides, the Chinese customers reportedly expected that in the Apple Glowtime event, the tech giant would introduce major changes in the design and features; however, there were minimal changes to the external design.
After the day of the iPhone 16 launch in the global market, Apple's shares fell 1.7%. Reuters said in its report that this happened after the company introduced the hardware integration for apps based on AI but did limited changes to the outer design. Apple's AI system, Apple Intelligence, was also announced during the event with a promise of improved Siri voice assistant, ChatGPT integration and other features.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus were launched with improved cameras, slightly bigger screens, and new colours. Globally, some users found that these changes were not enough, and the smartphones were not so different from the iPhone 15 series. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max featured a tetraprism camera and improved Grade 5 titanium frame and colour options. iPhone Exports From India Reaches USD 5 Billion During April-August Period, Grows 50% Compared to First 5 Months of FY24: Report.
The report mentioned that Apple frequently used words like "later this year" and "earlier next year" during its recent events. Laura Martin, an analyst at Needham, said it would be better if the company launched it next year. Amid these, Apple's iPhone 16 series in China does not support Apple Intelligence or AI yet, which could be one of the reasons Apple faces potential challenges in the Chinese smartphone market.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 11, 2024 01:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).