Apple Joins China Subsidy Program in Effort to Counter Declining Sales

Apple has joined China's national digital product subsidy program through its own direct sales channels for the first time, enabling eligible customers in Beijing and Shanghai to receive government-backed discounts on select iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs (via South China Morning Post).

Apple iPhone 16 family lineup
Apple customers in Shanghai can access the subsidies by purchasing qualifying devices in one of the city's eight Apple retail stores, while Beijing residents can receive the discount through Apple's online store, provided they use a Beijing shipping address.

The program offers subsidies of up to 2,000 yuan (approximately $278) on certain Apple products, with eligibility criteria determined by product type and price. Devices priced below 6,000 yuan (roughly $835) receive a 15% discount, capped at 500 yuan, while some higher-value items such as Macs are eligible for a bigger discount.

Previously, Apple products were available under the subsidy program only through authorized third-party platforms such as JD.com and Alibaba's Taobao marketplace. This therefore marks the first time Apple's own online and retail stores have participated directly in the scheme.

Data from market analytics companies have painted a consistent picture of Apple's smartphone shipments in mainland China falling in 2025, making Apple the only one among the country's top five smartphone vendors to record a decline this year. By contrast, Xiaomi and Huawei have grown dramatically.

Top Rated Comments

Yr Blues Avatar
21 weeks ago
How about drop the price and add usable features?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechWhisperer Avatar
21 weeks ago
Apple is desperate. LOL!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
purplefox Avatar
21 weeks ago

What? We need then a drop in price in EU - half of the functions are not working
You're getting all the functions, that is just the price eupopeans pay for more competition. ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProbablyDylan Avatar
21 weeks ago
Crazy that China has consumer subsidies for things like smartphones. Seems that this same program also applies to electric vehicles and high-quality high-efficiency home appliances. The western world could learn a thing or two from these programs!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pbau Avatar
21 weeks ago
What? We need then a drop in price in EU - half of the functions are not working
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechRunner Avatar
21 weeks ago

This therefore marks the first time Apple's own online and retail stores have participated directly in the scheme.
Scheme is an interesting word choice. Makes Apple sound very underhanded.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)