BEIJING, January 27, 2026, 17:34 (GMT+8)
- Apple’s ultra-thin iPhone Air is now selling in China with discounts reaching up to 2,500 yuan, dropping starting prices to 5,499 yuan after subsidies.
- From Jan. 24 to 27, Apple is offering up to 1,000 yuan off on select products in China, though the new iPhone 17 isn’t part of the deal.
Apple’s ultra-thin iPhone Air has seen price cuts up to 2,500 yuan in China. The official Apple Store on Alibaba’s Tmall slashed 2,000 yuan, with regional subsidies pushing the starting price down from 7,999 yuan to 5,499 yuan, 36Kr reported. Released on Oct. 22, 2025, the phone sacrifices battery size and opts for an eSIM-only design, ditching the traditional plastic SIM card. Industry analyst Zhang Shule called this move “inventory clearance” aimed at “recovering funds,” while Omdia’s Zhong Xiaolei noted that “most people can’t accept” shelling out flagship prices solely for a thin-and-light design. 36Kr
The sharp price drop, coming shortly after launch, highlights just how quickly the slimline model hit a wall with price-conscious buyers in China. It also reveals the pressure Apple faces in balancing its premium branding with the need to keep sales flowing.
Apple is running a Lunar New Year sale in mainland China from Jan. 24 to Jan. 27, slashing prices by up to 1,000 yuan on select iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch models, according to a notice on its website. The new iPhone 17, however, isn’t part of the deal, Reuters reported.
Separate markdowns went deeper. PhoneArena reported that certain Apple-authorised retailers dropped the iPhone Air by 2,000 to 2,500 yuan, with the phone selling out fast on sites like Tmall. Apple’s own store, however, stuck to its original price. The site also noted some recent buyers were upset by the sudden cut and requested refunds.
The discounts push prices nearer to China’s subsidy threshold. According to MacRumors, buyers can claim a 15% refund on electronics priced under 6,000 yuan—a limit that excludes many of Apple’s Pro models and favors local brands. The report also referenced Counterpoint analysts noting a 1.6% year-on-year decline in China’s smartphone market during Q4 2025.
Apple topped China’s smartphone market in Q4 2025 with a 22% share, but local brands like Oppo, Huawei, and Xiaomi stayed hot on its heels, according to the South China Morning Post. Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam said Apple leaned on holiday discounts to offset declining monthly sales.
Discounts aren’t just hitting China. Forbes revealed that Amazon UK slashed £150 off an unlocked iPhone Air—a rare price drop for a newly released model—cutting it from £999 to £849.
But this bargain approach has its downsides: constant price drops can teach buyers to hold off and frustrate early adopters, all while eating into margins for both retailers and manufacturers. When demand is fundamentally weak—say, for a slim phone with few standout features—a quick round of discounts probably won’t turn things around.
Investors are on alert for signs that promotions might be eating into profits. Apple will release its holiday-quarter earnings on Jan. 29. Jefferies analyst Edison Lee believes the strong iPhone sales are already “largely priced into” the stock. Meanwhile, JPMorgan’s Samik Chatterjee noted “robust” demand but warned that rising memory costs could squeeze margins, Investors reported.
