14 DAY TRIAL // The consensus is that the latest-generation iPhones are too expensive, and the high prices had a major impact on sales in the last couple of years.
The 2018 lineup, for instance, forced Apple to reduce sales estimates for the first time in a long time, with the company turning to several damage control measures due to weaker-than-anticipated demand.
China is one particular market where iPhone sales barely improved in the last few months, and because Apple hopes to move the needle significantly in the coming months, it’s now embracing price cuts that make the 2018 models significantly cheaper.
After iPhone XR received reseller price cuts in January, it’s the turn of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max to benefit from similar discounts.
The price cuts
As reported by Taipei Central News Agency, the iPhone XS is now 1000 yuan ($150) more affordable in China when purchasing the device from a Suning store. If you get it online from the same retailer, the price drops by as much as $195. The iPhone XS Max price has been reduced by 2000 yuan, which is approximately $300 at current exchange rates.
JD.com is also offering similar discounts for the new iPhones, and the iPhone XS Max gets the biggest of them thanks to a 1700 yuan (about $250) cut.
For the time being, however, Apple hasn’t said a single thing about these discounts, and the company doesn’t seem to be very keen on lowering the price of the iPhone elsewhere too.
But at the same time, Cupertino hopes iPhone sales can go up thanks to other approaches, including increased trade-in value for customers who want to give up on their existing iPhones in exchange for newer models.
In the United States, the iPhone XS is still priced at $999, while the iPhone XS Max tops at $1,449.