The new iPhone 13 series was unveiled on Tuesday, September 14 with an improved camera system, battery, and other features. Early reports from China and U.S show that in the absence of competing smartphone models, the new iPhone series is a hit with the consumers in the largest markets of the world.
Competition crippled by chip shortages, pre-orders of iPhone 13 series cross 2 million in China
Reports by the South China Morning Post and Information reveal that Apple is in a strong position in comparison to other high-end Android smartphone manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei because of the prevailing global chip crisis and strong promotions.
The South China Morning Post writes that in the absence of a competing high-end Android smartphone by Huawei, iPhone 13 has become the ‘go-to high-end smartphone in China”. The pre-orders of the new iPhone series have crossed over 2 million units in the country.
“The iPhone 13, which was introduced on Tuesday in the US, stands out as this year’s go-to high-end smartphone in China because of Huawei’s inability to provide equally compelling premium handsets, as it continues to struggle under US trade sanctions, according to Counterpoint Research senior analyst Ethan Qi.
“There isn’t a smartphone [in the market] which can be a threat to the iPhone 13 above the 5,000 yuan (US$776) price range. There isn’t a product that is as strong as the old Huawei Mate series.”
The report also mentions that the iPhone 13 models are priced 300 yuan cheaper than last year’s iPhone 12 models which might be another factor to attract consumers.
In the United States, Apple is set to gain a bigger share of the smartphone market because its competitors are hit hard with the chip shortage. The Information writes:
In a survey of 37 sales representatives at wireless retail stores across the U.S., 26 of them, or 70%, reported shortages of smartphone inventory in August, up from 45% in June and 28% in May, according to Wave7 Research, a firm whose monitoring of retailers is closely watched by the wireless industry. Notably, the shortages were more pronounced for Samsung and other makers of Android-powered devices than for iPhones, and they are expected to persist through the holiday season, said Jeff Moore, a principal at the research firm.
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