In a recent interview regarding the upcoming Double 11 sales in China, major e-commerce platforms JD and Tmall have announced substantial discounts for the newly launched iPhone 16 series. According to the official Apple flagship store on Tmall, consumers can enjoy discounts of up to 1,600 yuan (approximately $225.20) when purchasing the iPhone 16 during this promotional period. This discount comes just a month after the phone’s official launch in the Chinese market.

The Apple flagship store revealed that a range of products, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods, will be available at varying levels of discount. For instance, the iPhone 16 series can benefit from a surprise voucher worth 500 yuan provided by Tmall, alongside an additional trade-in subsidy of up to 1,100 yuan. In addition, customers can take advantage of up to 12 months of interest-free payments. Other Apple products are eligible for surprise vouchers ranging from 50 to 200 yuan and can also combine with larger 88VIP coupons.

Meanwhile, JD’s official WeChat account announced that the iPhone 16 will become available at 8 PM on October 21, where customers can claim a significant 500 yuan “Apple voucher.” Additionally, buyers of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will receive a complimentary one-year AppleCare+ subscription.

Officially launched on September 20, the iPhone 16 series features the new A18 processor across all models, with a noticeable change being the introduction of a new camera button. However, some Chinese consumers have criticized this iteration for what they perceive as incremental updates, leading to limited information about the device’s AI capabilities and an overall lack of standout features.

Recently, the group buying platform Pinduoduo has also offered substantial subsidies, bringing down iPhone 16 prices to below their original retail prices. Discounts range from 450 to 700 yuan, with the iPhone 16 Plus available for as low as 6,299 yuan, which is 700 yuan less than the official price of 6,999 yuan.

Data cited from Counterpoint Research by 36Kr indicates a 20% increase in sales of the iPhone 16 within the first three weeks of its release in China, performing better than previous generations of the iPhone. Sales for the higher-end Pro and Pro Max models have jumped by 44% compared to the same period last year.

However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities reported on November 9 that the assembly orders for the iPhone 16 series remain relatively stable, with suppliers instructed to continue production during the National Day holiday for the Pro models. He noted, however, that parts orders are expected to decrease slightly after mid-November, particularly for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, which have shown lower demand compared to last year. Kuo estimates that production for the iPhone 16 series in Q4 will range between 88 to 89 million units, slightly below the 90 to 91 million units produced in the previous year.

In contrast, the iPhone 15 has experienced multiple price reductions in the Chinese market throughout the year. As of late February, customers noted that the price of the iPhone 15 (128GB) in Apple’s flagship store had dropped by 1,150 yuan from its original price.