Foreign smartphone shipments to China plunge 50% in March

Shipments of foreign-branded smartphones in China, including Apple Inc.’s iPhones, fell by nearly half in March compared to the same period last year, according to data released Monday by a government-affiliated research body.

Figures from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) showed that shipments dropped 49.6% year over year, declining to 1.887 million units from 3.747 million in March 2024.

The sharp decline underscores growing competitive pressure from domestic smartphone makers like Huawei and Xiaomi, as well as potential shifts in consumer sentiment amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties.

Apple, which has faced regulatory challenges and rising scrutiny in China, remains one of the top foreign brands affected by the downturn.