China

Apple has announced it is lowering App Store developer fees in China from March 15, with commission rates for standard in-app purchases (IAPs) set to change to 25%, down from 30%. In an update on its Developer blog, Apple also said the commission rate for qualifying IAPs under the App Store Small Business Program and Mini Apps Partner Program (and auto-renewals of IAP subscriptions after the ...

Apple CEO Tim Cook was among a handful of top tech executives who attended a classified CIA briefing warning that China could attack Taiwan by 2027, according to a sweeping investigative report by The New York Times ($). The previously unreported briefing was apparently held in a secure room in Silicon Valley in July 2023. The meeting is said to have been arranged at the request of the...

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been runaway hits in China, but their success has little to do with new AI or camera features – it's largely down to the color. Or at least, that's according to a new report. The Cosmic Orange finish made available exclusively on Apple's high-end Pro models has been widely dubbed "Hermès orange" by Chinese consumers who associate the vivid...

Apple today shared a short film to usher in the Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, which begins February 17 and will be celebrated through March 3. "A girl, a talking dog, and a meticulously thought out scheme make up this heartwarming tale about finding family," says Apple. "Apple joins forces with director Bai Xue for an imaginative blend of cinematography and stop-motion to usher in...

Apple is offering discounts of up to 1,000 yuan ($144) on some products in China in anticipation of a holiday shopping rush and competitive pricing from local vendors, reports the South China Morning Post. Ahead of February's Lunar New Year, Apple's mainland China website and official stores are offering limited-time discounts on products including the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, as well...

Apple reclaimed the leading position in China's smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2025 as strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup offset a contracting market and growing supply-chain pressure from memory chip shortages. New data from Counterpoint Research shows that smartphone shipments in China declined 1.6% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025 and fell 0.6% for the full...

Apple today announced expanded cross-border Apple Pay support for users in mainland China, allowing them to use Visa credit and debit cards issued by local banks to make contactless payments both in-store and online while traveling abroad. Eight major Chinese banks now support the feature, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and...

Apple now has additional time to allow for tariffs on Chinese semiconductors, thanks to a delay on any actual cost impact until June 2027. While the United States will still apply new tariffs on semiconductor imports from China, the effective tariff rate will be set at zero for approximately 18 months, according to a Federal Register filing (via CNBC). The tariff rate will increase on June...

Apple today unveiled its fifth retail store in India, at the DLF Mall in Noida. The store opens to customers this Thursday, December 11, at 1 p.m. local time. Apple Noida The store features familiar amenities, including an Apple Pickup station for in-store pickup of online orders, and a Genius Bar for tech support and repairs. Apple operates four other stores in India: Apple Saket in ...

Apple's first foldable iPhone will reportedly drop the physical SIM card slot in favor of eSIM technology, according to a well-known Chinese leaker posting on Weibo today. Apple is expected to introduce the device late next year or in early 2027, based on multiple reports. The so-called "iPhone Fold" is rumored to feature a 5.5-inch outer display and a book-style design that opens to reveal...

Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to select Audi vehicles in China, based on evidence uncovered by MacRumors on Apple's backend. Specifically, the car key support relates to Audi's partnership with Chinese company FAW, which manufactures and sells Audi vehicles in the Chinese market. The joint venture produces both combustion engine and all-electric...

Apple's iPhone 17 lineup was the clear driver of smartphone growth during China's "Singles Day" shopping festival, according to new industry data. Apple was the top-selling smartphone brand throughout this year's month-long Singles Day period in China, accounting for 26% of all smartphone sales, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research shared by Reuters. Overall smartphone sales...

Apple may be getting closer to bringing Apple Intelligence to China, based on an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ feedback form that recently launched on the company's website. The form requires a +86 telephone number for feedback to be submitted, which suggests that it is designed for Apple users located in China rather than those who simply speak Chinese. The site is designed to allow customers to...

Huawei's just-announced Mate 80 lineup is attracting attention in China today thanks to a display spec that easily sees off the competition in the premium smartphone segment. The company claims the OLED panels in its latest phones can reach up to 8,000 nits of peak brightness – a figure that, if independently verified, would make the Mate 80 series the brightest smartphones on the market. ...

Apple had a bumper month for iPhone sales in China in October, with sales jumping 37% compared to a year earlier on strong demand for iPhone 17 models, according to data from research firm Counterpoint. One in every four smartphones sold in the country for the month was an iPhone – a market share milestone Apple hasn't achieved since 2022, when there were fewer rivals in the premium...

Apple has reached a new agreement with Tencent that will allow the company to process payments and collect a 15% commission on purchases made inside WeChat mini games and mini apps on the iPhone, establishing a major new revenue stream in China after over a year of negotiations, according to Bloomberg. Under the arrangement, Apple will begin handling in-app payment processing for qualifying...

A law firm in China has filed a new antitrust complaint accusing Apple of abusing its control over iOS app distribution and payments, escalating a dispute that previously failed in civil court by seeking action from state regulators instead, Reuters reports. The new complaint was submitted to the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on behalf of 55 Chinese iPhone and iPad users. ...

Apple's iPhone Air sold out across online stores in China within hours of pre-orders opening on Friday, the South China Morning Post reports. Demand for the ‌iPhone Air‌ reportedly surged immediately after pre-orders opened. Apple's online store and the official Tmall flagship both listed multiple color and storage configurations as unavailable within the first two hours of availability,...

Apple CEO Tim Cook pledged to expand the company's investments in China during his latest visit to the country, signaling that Apple intends to maintain a strong presence in its most important manufacturing hub even as it continues diversifying production elsewhere, Reuters reports. During meetings with Chinese government officials this week, Cook told China's industry minister Li Lecheng...

The iPhone Air will be available for pre-order in China this Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook today said on Weibo during a visit to the country. Apple initially postponed the release of the ‌iPhone Air‌ in China while it worked with mainland authorities to resolve regulatory issues related to the device's eSIM requirement. The iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max already went on sale with the global...