Apple and Huawei are simultaneously unveiling new tablets. All eyes are on whether Apple can overcome Huawei and rebound in the Chinese market share since the company is facing difficulties in China due to the recent surge in patriotic consumption.
According to industry sources, on the 2nd, Apple is hosting the Let Loose Event on the 7th of this month (local time) to reveal its latest tablet. Although the company has not announced the specific model to be released, the industry widely expects Apple to introduce the new iPad Pro and iPad Air, considering a historic 18-month product hiatus.
Previously, Bloomberg reported that the next-generation iPad Pro is more likely to be equipped with the M4 chip, not the M3. They also suggested that Apple would unveil the iPad Pro and iPad Air. According to these outlets, the iPad Pro will feature various artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities through the M4 chip and support high-quality visuals with a two-stack tandem OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display. Furthermore, Apple’s new design for the Magic Keyboard and the pencil are gathering attention and will be disclosed alongside the new tablet.
On the same day, Huawei is holding a product launch event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have not revealed the specifics of the event either. Industry insiders predict Huawei will present new laptops, tablets, wireless earbuds, and smartwatches. The much-anticipated smartphone Pura 70 is not expected to be showcased at this event.
The industry is closely watching the new tablets from both companies. Tablets are the first area in which Apple lost the market leader title to a local Chinese company. According to market research firm IDC, Huawei recorded a 30.8% market share in the Chinese tablet market in the last quarter of last year, becoming the top player. During the same period, Apple fell to second place with a 30.5% share. Huawei’s share increased by 9.6% compared to last year’s, while Apple’s decreased by 6.7%.
Huawei is considered to have benefited the most from the surge in patriotic consumption in China, while Apple is considered the biggest casualty.
Huawei also reaped the most benefits from patriotic consumption in the smartphone sector, another area where Apple lost the top spot. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, iPhone sales in China decreased by 19.1% in the first quarter of this year compared to last year’s worst performance since 2020. In addition, Apple fell to third place, behind Vivo. In contrast, Huawei’s smartphone sales surged by 69.7%, helping it to rise to fourth place.
However, industry insiders predict that a market share rebound will be complicated even if Apple releases new products due to the lack of a turning point to overcome the current wave of patriotic consumption in China. One official commented, “Whether the AI features in the Apple Inc. tablet can overcome the wave of patriotic consumption in China is key. However, I don’t think the chances are high.”
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