The world has changed: iPhone starts to copy Chinese manufacturers

The world has changed: iPhone starts to copy Chinese manufacturers

The Wall Street Journal published an article today saying that the world has really changed: before, Chinese smartphone manufacturers borrowed from Apple's iPhone, but now it is the iPhone that borrows from the products of Chinese manufacturers.

Some Chinese consumers pointed out that several features of the iPhone 7 were first introduced by Chinese mobile phone manufacturers, such as dual cameras and the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack. One user said on Sina Weibo: "Who would have thought that Apple has started to copy Huawei, LeTV and OPPO!" Challenge from Chinese manufacturers Currently, Apple is trying to win back its lost Chinese users, but it is facing strong challenges from Chinese competitors such as Huawei and LeTV. For many years, the explosive growth of the Chinese smartphone market has made Apple a lot of money, but in the past two quarters, China, the world's largest smartphone market, has dragged down Apple. This is mainly because the previous generation product iPhone 6s lacked major new features. At the same time, Chinese mobile phone manufacturers have continued to launch attractive new products. Data from research firm Strategy Analytics shows that Apple's Chinese smartphone market share in the second quarter of this year fell from 9.2% a year ago to 6.7%, ranking fifth, behind Huawei, OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi. Lack of killer features It remains to be seen whether the newly released iPhone 7 can help Apple win back lost Chinese consumers. Curious about Apple's newly released wireless earphones and users who have not yet upgraded to iPhone 6s may become potential buyers of iPhone 7. However, iPhone 7 does not seem to be very competitive because it lacks some killer features and characteristics, such as major design changes and dual-SIM function, which analysts believe are the key to helping Apple regain market share in China. Yang Lei, a graduate student from Guizhou, said that after watching the press conference, he decided to buy an iPhone 7 because it has an advanced camera and he is still using other Apple products. "I am used to the iOS system," said Yang Lei. Like American consumers, many Chinese consumers also think that the $159 wireless earphones AirPods are too expensive and easy to lose. In addition, Lightning interface earphones cannot be used when the phone is charging. James Yan, an analyst at research firm Counterpoint, said that usually, after the new generation of iPhone is launched, it will sell well at least in the first few months, and I believe that iPhone 7 will be no exception, but it is uncertain whether the sales will eventually decline like iPhone 6s. Last quarter, sales of new Apple products in Greater China fell 33% to $8.8 billion, compared with a year-ago growth of 112%. Status symbol? In China, many consumers earn less than a month to buy an iPhone ($649). For these people, buying an iPhone is a luxury. If they spend a lot of money on the latest generation of iPhones, they certainly don't want their new phone to be mistaken for an old model. Some analysts believe that last year's iPhone 6s did not sell well because it was too similar to the iPhone 6 from 2014. In contrast, when Apple first launched the gold and rose gold iPhones, they were quickly sold out. Part of it is that Chinese people like gold, and part of it is that these phones look different. James Yan said: "Chinese consumers want to have a phone that makes them feel proud and shows that they have status. Therefore, they want to buy a phone that looks like a new model." Half a beat behind Chinese manufacturers It is undeniable that the iPhone 7 does have some new design elements, such as the launch of a jet black version, but overall it still looks similar to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s. Some analysts believe that Apple is leaving bigger design changes for next year, as 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. Nicole Peng, head of China research at research firm Canalys, said that one challenge Apple faces is that its high quality standards mean that it sometimes cannot launch new features as quickly as Asian manufacturers. For some new features, such as dual cameras, waterproofing and Lightning charging ports, the iPhone may adopt them months or even years later than other mobile phone manufacturers. So far, the iPhone has not adopted OLED screens, although Apple has been developing this technology for many years. In contrast, Samsung and Meizu have already launched OLED screen phones. Note 7 explosion is a positive factor For Apple, one favorable factor is that Samsung recently recalled the latest generation of large-screen flagship mobile phone Galaxy Note 7 worldwide due to battery explosion. Although the Chinese market is not affected by the recall, some Chinese consumers are still worried. Analysts have high hopes for the next generation of iPhones to be released next year. On the one hand, as mentioned above, the next generation of iPhones will have major changes in appearance design. In addition, Apple will also promote the "iPhone Upgrade Program" to China and the United Kingdom. According to the plan, users pay a certain amount every month and can get a new generation of iPhone for free after one year. In addition, Apple has recently submitted a patent application for dual SIM card slots, which means that the next generation of iPhone released next year may support dual SIM card function. James Yan predicts that about 1/4 of Chinese smartphone users use dual SIM phones.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.

<<:  Is no one doing anything about the startup company crying thief when it comes to fraud?

>>:  Mobike is not worth worshipping too early

Recommend

JDRead Review: Highly Cost-Effective E-book with Deep Localization Customization

As one of the few products in China that can comp...

Meditation Coach Training Course (Theoretical Course) Value: 3380 yuan

Meditation Coach Training Course (Theoretical Cou...

The nine-square grid thinking method of APP in the application market!

The boss is going crazy because there is no promo...

The first comprehensive lunar geological map is released

According to the Physicists' Organization web...

3 tips for promoting hot-selling products!

How to make a product a hit? If you want to creat...