Smartphone shipments in China fell 11% year-on-year in the third quarter as the country’s slowing economy took a toll on consumer demand, research firm Canalys reported on Thursday, reports Reuters. Brands shipped a total of 70 million smartphones to sellers in the period, down from 78.9 million in same period last year.
While Apple was the only brand to buck the trend, with shipments jumping 36% to 11.3 million, analysts say that the surge was due to demand for the iPhone 14 Pro model, and demand for the basic iPhone 14 model has been weak.
The dip continues an ongoing trend for the sector, which in recent years has faced challenges ranging from the global chip shortage, the economic impact of China’s zero-COVID policy, and lengthening upgrade cycles from consumers.