The iPhone 16 Pro has drawn widespread attention after joining China’s national consumer subsidy program for the first time. Thanks to the combined official and government subsidy, the 128GB model in China is now available for just RMB 5,499 ($770), a reduction of RMB 2,500 ($350) from the original price of RMB 7,999 ($1120).
Why this matters: China’s digital device subsidy program, launched on January 20, requires products to be priced under RMB 6,000 ($770), and offers a 15% subsidy of up to RMB 500 ($70). This marks Apple’s first participation in China’s national subsidy program, coming at a time when the company faced a decline in its China market share during the first quarter.
Details：On April 11, Apple issued a price adjustment notice to its channel partners, cutting prices for all storage variants of the iPhone 16 series in China.
- Due to the price restrictions of the national subsidy program, the subsidy currently applies only to the iPhone 16 Pro 128GB version. Other storage variants (256GB and above) are not included in the subsidy and are still priced at between RMB 6,899 ($970) and RMB 10,899 ($1,530).
- Both online e-commerce channels and offline Apple stores are offering the latest round of price cuts. The price of all models of the iPhone 16 series has fallen by between RMB 1,000 and 1,500 ($140 to $210).
- A staff member at an Apple store told Technode that the company has not said how long the price reduction will last. Technode interviewed a consumer who said that 128GB might not be enough, especially for photos and heavy apps. She said she’s more likely to go for a higher-capacity model while the discounts last.
Context：According to IDC data released last month, China’s smartphone shipments reached 71.6 million units in the first quarter of 2025, up 3.3% year-on-year.
- Apple was the only major brand to see a decline in smartphone shipments in China in the first quarter, the report said. Apple ranked fifth with 9.8 million units, down 9% from a year earlier, likely because most of its models were not eligible for the national subsidy program.
- The top four smartphone brands in China for the same quarter were Xiaomi (13.3 million units, up 39.9%), Huawei (12.9 million units, up 10%), Oppo (11.2 million units, up 3.3%), and Vivo (10.3 million units, up 2.3%).
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