iPhone shipments in China fell 33% in February, state data show

Customers browse products during the opening of the new Apple Inc Jingan store in Shanghai, China, on March 21, 2024. Apple has seen its best-selling product struggle in the world’s biggest smartphone market since the September debut of its latest generation models. — Bloomberg

Apple Inc iPhone shipments in China fell about 33% in February from a year earlier, according to official data, extending a slump in demand for the flagship device in its most important overseas market.

The government figures showed foreign brands shipped only about 2.4 million smartphones last month, which was affected by the later timing of the Lunar New Year. Apple accounts for the vast majority of those shipments, as the only overseas player with a meaningful market share.