iPhone SE reportedly 'squeezing' marketshare from Chinese smartphone makers
Chinese and Taiwanese smartphone suppliers are reportedly scaling back component production in the wake of Apple's iPhone SE, which appears to be impacting the sales of local smartphone brands.
Phones from Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo have lost marketshare, supply chain sources told DigiTimes on Thursday. Though the iPhone was already a relatively popular device in China prior to the SE, the new model is allegedly gaining ground as a more price-competitive alternative to the iPhone 6s.
Whereas the cheapest 6s starts at 5,288 yuan, or roughly $816, a 16-gigabyte SE is 3,288 yuan -- about $507.
Camera module suppliers were stockpiling inventory during 2015, based on optimistic prospects by smartphone makers, the sources added. This created a serious problem, as most makers ended up meeting only 70 to 80 percent of their projected shipments. In consequence, camera suppliers have supposedly become conservative about more recent attempts to launch phones with twin lenses.
Separately, the sources noted that Apple has also left suppliers with excess inventory by switching its power supplies from 15 to 20 volts. Further trouble could arise through its requests for new power management circuitry to match, the people said.
Initial demand for the SE has reportedly been fairly strong, even if sales might not compensate for an alleged slump with the iPhone 6s.
Phones from Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo have lost marketshare, supply chain sources told DigiTimes on Thursday. Though the iPhone was already a relatively popular device in China prior to the SE, the new model is allegedly gaining ground as a more price-competitive alternative to the iPhone 6s.
Whereas the cheapest 6s starts at 5,288 yuan, or roughly $816, a 16-gigabyte SE is 3,288 yuan -- about $507.
Camera module suppliers were stockpiling inventory during 2015, based on optimistic prospects by smartphone makers, the sources added. This created a serious problem, as most makers ended up meeting only 70 to 80 percent of their projected shipments. In consequence, camera suppliers have supposedly become conservative about more recent attempts to launch phones with twin lenses.
Separately, the sources noted that Apple has also left suppliers with excess inventory by switching its power supplies from 15 to 20 volts. Further trouble could arise through its requests for new power management circuitry to match, the people said.
Initial demand for the SE has reportedly been fairly strong, even if sales might not compensate for an alleged slump with the iPhone 6s.
Comments
For a phone that was reportedly a huge flop, according to various douchebags, it seems to be doing quite well, considering that it is even "squeezing" marketshare from other makers.
I've actually been trying to buy one from an Apple store, and it's out of stock everywhere. I've been checking the stock at nearby Apple stores every day, and I'm going to buy one, as soon as it's available. Not bad for a phone that isn't selling well, according to various douchebags, liars and spreaders of anti-Apple propaganda.
Apple to cut iPhone SE production due to sales slump
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/gadgets/apple-to-cut-iphone-se-production-due-to-sales-slump/article8483650.eceiPhone SE Sales Forecasted as 'Lackluster' Over First Weekend
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/04/04/iphone-se-sales-first-weekend-lackluster-forecast/
iPhone SE seen getting off to a ‘lackluster’ start
http://bgr.com/2016/04/04/iphone-se-sales-lackluster/
4-Inch iPhone SE Is Not So Hot After All: First Weekend Sales Reportedly Lackluster
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/147386/20160406/4-inch-iphone-se-is-not-so-hot-after-all-first-weekend-sales-reportedly-lackluster.htm
The Apple iPhone SE launch was far from divine
http://www.cnet.com/news/the-apple-iphone-se-launch-was-far-from-divine/
But I doubt it. I think they'll just keep putting each year's latest internals in the 4" shell.
Gatorguy.
The pre-orders for the Samsung S7 were 3 times higher than those for the SE, so in the absence of any actual sales numbers, it would be more reasonable to suggest the S7 was the cause of the falls.
The S7 is even selling well in India, with sales double that of the S6 for the same interval.
http://gbtimes.com/business/apples-new-iphone-se-gets-lukewarm-response-beijingYou're not seeing very far.
Let me see if I get this straight.
First you state you'll believe it when there are "actual SE sales numbers".
Then you go on to say the S7 had 3X the pre-orders of the SE.
Am I the only one who finds this odd?
Even a used iPhone is miles better than a brand new, budget priced Android phone.
And almost none of those cheap manufacturers are making any money. Apple is making the majority of the profits. Let the losers sling it out in the mud, with their pathetic race to bottom strategy.
No. Everyone knows you're a troll, and your post content is all the proof they need.
So you refuse to believe SE sales numbers from a third party when they show Apple favorably but choose to believe S7 vs SE sales from a different third party when they are not favorable to Apple.
Xiaomi, Huawei and the rest are in for very difficult times ahead.
Personally, I think the SE is going to sell well... I have zero proof of course and it's worth as much. I will wait for official word from Apple, and NOT from Digitimes.
I did not say I didn't believe the SE pre-order numbers. I do. I said I didn't believe the conclusion drawn by this article, as to the reason for the decline in sales in China of local brands, which this article attributes to the SE.
As for me supposedly being biased in my belief in the trustworthiness of sources - tell me, exactly how did I manage that when the SE pre-order numbers and the S7 pre-order numbers are all from the same source? That source being statements/data from JD.com, Suning and Gome.
You tell me why you think it is logical to attribute the reported sales decline to popularity of the SE, when the same source of the data says the popularity of the S7 is 3 times as high?
This article is a bit of a hoot - you have text that says: "Though the iPhone was already a relatively popular device in China prior to the SE" and yet the title of the article linked to is "apples-iphone-loses-ground-in-urban-china-for-first-time-since-2014" Truly Lol.
Apple already earns 90%+ of smartphone profits. Licensing iOS to 3rd party hardware would be a big mistake.
Everything is fine as it is.