On December 8th, Jiemian News learned that Apple... The official flagship stores on e-commerce platforms have launched year-end promotions, offering price reductions on the high-end iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. After coupon discounts, prices can drop by up to 300 yuan. Combined with national subsidies in some regions, the actual cost for users can be further reduced. This promotion comes just over two months after the release of the iPhone 17 Pro series.
On Tmall, consumers can claim an exclusive coupon for ¥300 off purchases over ¥2980, but this is only valid for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. After the price reduction, the starting price of the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro drops to ¥8699, and the starting price of the similarly configured iPhone 17 Pro Max is ¥9699. The promotion will last until December 14th, and Apple has prepared approximately 58,000 units for this purpose. (Also available on JD.com... ) You can purchase directly at the discounted price, which is similar to the price on Tmall.
The left side represents the Tmall platform, and the right side represents the JD.com platform.
It is worth noting that Apple's official website does not currently have such promotions, and the prices of the two iPhone 17 Pro models still start at 8,999 yuan and 9,999 yuan.
In September of this year, Apple released the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, touted as its most powerful Pro models ever. These models are powered by the A19 Pro chip, featuring a 15% increase in transistor density, a 6-core GPU, and a triple-lens fusion camera system with three 48MP sensors: a main camera, an ultra-wide camera, and a telephoto camera, effectively providing eight lenses. Both models feature a Ceramic Shield front cover, marking the first time Apple has used this material on the back of an iPhone.
Compared to Apple's promotional strategies in recent years, the price reduction for the iPhone 17 Pro series is relatively moderate. In 2024, the iPhone 15 Pro Max saw a price drop of up to 1,300 yuan during the Double 11 shopping festival; this May, the iPhone 16 Pro series saw a maximum price reduction of 2,500 yuan, with some models experiencing a price drop of up to 31% after subsidies.
During this year's Double 11 shopping festival, the official Apple Store flagship store on Tmall also offered price reductions and promotions on the iPhone 17 Pro series. Specifically, the iPhone 17 Pro series saw a direct price reduction of 300 yuan, with prices starting at 8699 yuan after coupons; the iPhone 17 Pro Max started at 9699 yuan after coupons, both supporting up to 12 months of interest-free installments. The standard iPhone 17 was not included in the price reduction.
Some analysts believe that the latest slight price reduction is more of a regular year-end promotion than an emergency measure under pressure to reduce sales, which echoes the strong market performance of the iPhone 17 series.
According to data from market research firm Counterpoint, smartphone sales in China increased by 3% year-on-year during the Double 11 shopping festival, driven by Apple's iPhone 17 series.
Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam said, "The iPhone 17 series performed exceptionally well, especially the base model iPhone 17, which excelled in storage capacity, optical system, and sensors." All aspects have been upgraded, but the price remains the same as last year's iPhone 16. Sales of the base model more than doubled year-on-year, while sales of the Pro and Pro Max also achieved mid-to-high double-digit growth. These two models also enjoyed a 300 RMB discount during the Double 11 shopping festival.
Aside from Apple, overall mobile phone sales in China declined by 5% year-on-year during the Double 11 shopping festival, reflecting a more cautious consumer environment and weak momentum at the start of the fourth quarter. Counterpoint believes that many consumers purchased phones in advance this year with the help of subsidies. Furthermore, major smartphone brands shifted their strategic focus to newly launched high-end devices, which, while potentially increasing the average selling price (ASP), had the opposite effect on sales volume.
With a flurry of domestic flagship models being released at the end of the year, Apple's intention to maintain its competitiveness in the high-end market through slight price reductions is evident. Its multi-channel promotional strategy will further boost its performance in the fourth quarter.
(Article source: Jiemian News)
