Apple's iPhone estimated third on units, number one in revenue in China

The iPhone is doing quite well in China, having led the local smartphone market in revenue — though not units — during the first half of 2018, according to one research firm.

iPhone revenues hit $25.238 billion in the region, Sigmaintell said this week, quoted by Taiwan's DigiTimes. This is despite only coming third in unit shipments at 32.11 million, below Oppo's 38 million and Vivo's 35.5 million. In fact Huawei would technically have led them all with 58.96 million, except that some figures were split off into its Honor brand.

The gap between Apple's income and shipments is presumably linked to high prices. An iPhone X starts at $1,216 in China, making it far more expensive than most smartphones there, many of which probably cost half or a third as much.

DigiTimes noted that at least one local report has claimed the iPhone X accounted for half of the iPhones sold in China during the June quarter, but this figure is disputed by other sources saying iPhone 6-series devices make up the majority of shipments. A new iPhone can easily cost some Chinese workers a whole month's salary, which helps the appeal of older hardware.

Globally Apple reaped $53.3 billion in revenue during the April-June period, $29.9 billion of that coming from shipments of 41.3 million iPhones. CEO Tim Cook said that the iPhone X held onto its position as the most popular model overall, even though the iPhone 8 line may be doing better in the company's U.S. homeland.

28 Comments

nunzy 662 comments · 6 Years

About 6 years ago

Apple doesn't care about market share. They suck up all the profitss instead. The real trick is how they can get that money back into the US so it can be paid to Wall Street.

rob53 3307 comments · 13 Years

nunzy said:

Apple doesn't care about market share. They suck up all the profitss instead. The real trick is how they can get that money back into the US so it can be paid to Wall Street.

Why should Wall Street gamblers get any of this money? Apple's profits don't impact any income investors get other than through dividends. None of Apple's profits are "paid" to Wall Street. Wall Street is one big gambling pot paid for by stock buyers, not by any profits by corporations. Apple doesn't owe Wall Street anything, especially since Wall Street is so corrupt in the way it manipulates AAPL stock.

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

We are bombarded daily with gleeful reports that Apple is failing in China. More negative tripe or fact?

maestro64 5029 comments · 19 Years

This is why China is completely different than India, Chinese know product with value, even with all the lower cost choices in China, economics would say Apple should not sell many phones, but in fact they still sell lots because China has consumers who do not buy purely on price they want the best and are willing to pay to have the best. 95% of people in India buy purely on price, they buy what cost less and there is not much Apple can do expect make a cheap phone which Apple does not know how to do. I would say India is a few generations away from being like the US and China when it comes to buying consumer products.

anton zuykov 1056 comments · 9 Years

Apple to Xiaomi is like USA to China. Two of them are number one in terms of (cough) "units" produced. As for the revenue....ehh, that is a different story altogether.