How Apple’s grip on China slipped – and what it means for other multinationals

Apple’s launch season has arrived, an occasion once treated like a festival in China and hailed by enthusiasts as the “Spring Festival Gala of the tech world”.

Tan Hui used to be one of the devoted, closely following every iPhone launch and going all out to secure the latest model. At times, she would even fly two and a half hours from her home in Sichuan province to Hong Kong – where new models sometimes went on sale earlier than on the mainland – to ensure she was one of the first to get her hands on the latest handset.

But she has not bought a new model since the iPhone 14 three years ago and, these days, she no longer follows news about the US tech giant’s latest products.

“I used to see Apple as a pioneer and a game-changer,” the 43-year-old accountant said. “Now, the new iPhone models hardly feel different – it’s just getting dull.”

Tan represents a growing number of Chinese consumers whose enthusiasm for Apple’s products has waned, contributing to the tech giant’s sluggish sales in China in recent years.

As pressure mounts from Washington for firms to invest domestically and as multinationals consider relocating manufacturing to mitigate geopolitical risks, China’s role as a supply chain hub and revenue driver has also come under scrutiny.