iPhone 16 drops in price for China's Singles Day sales

Shoppers in China can get a deal on the iPhone 16 ahead of Singles Day, as Apple's smartphone receives a price cut in early promotions for the sales event.

Singles Day, also known as Double 11, is an annual event in China, which usually involves massive sales through major retailers. For 2024, Apple's iPhone 16 is being discounted as part of the festivities.

Major retailers in China have already launched their promotional campaigns weeks ahead of the day itself. On Sunday and Monday, retailers slashed prices on iPhones, reports SCMP.

Tmall will start offering a 500 yuan ($70) voucher from Monday evening for all iPhone 16 models. There is also an extra trade-in subsidy of up to 1,100 yuan ($154), bringing the total savings on iPhones up to 1,600 yuan ($225).

JD.Com is offering similar discounts, along with a free year of AppleCare+ for the standard and Plus models.

Pinduoduo has cut its already discounted prices even more. The 256GB iPhone 16 Pro Max is down to 9,199 yuan ($1,293), down 800 yuan from launch pricing.

The discounts should help Apple in China at a time when its rivals are making it harder for Apple to thrive in the region. At the same time, there are reports that the iPhone 16 sold 20% more in its first three weeks of sale in China than the iPhone did in 2023.

The higher sales could help see further growth in Apple's Singles Day sales. In 2023, sales of iPhones dropped 4% year-on-year for the day, while Huawei saw 66% growth.