Govt data: Smartphone sales tank in China as coronavirus dampens demand

A customer touching Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max after it went on sale at the Apple Store in Beijing, China on Sept 20, 2019. Analysts say that despite Apple's struggles in China recently, the iPhone 11, released late last year, remains one of the best-selling 4G phones on the market in China. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: Sales of smartphones in China tumbled by more than a third in January, government data showed on Feb 24, in a sign of how the coronavirus outbreak is hurting consumer demand.

China started putting curbs on travel and asking residents to avoid public places in late January, just ahead of the Lunar New Year festival, a major gift-giving holiday.