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iPhone 16e next to iPhone 16. Photo: PCMag . |
Launched in late February, the iPhone 16 went on sale in Vietnam 10 days later. The product went on sale early right after the Lunar New Year, but failed to achieve impressive sales after a month on the shelves. Reality once again shows that “cheap iPhones” are unlikely to succeed in Vietnam.
On the contrary, the product was praised by market analysis companies, helping Apple increase revenue in the first quarter in markets such as the US and Europe.
A lackluster debut
Speaking with Tri Thuc - ZNews, Mr. Nguyen Lac Huy, representative of retailer CellphoneS, said that the iPhone 16e's sales volume accounts for about 5% of the total Apple phones that the company sells. This is not an impressive number compared to a newly launched device. In addition, when placed next to the Pro/Pro Max versions, the iPhone 16e is difficult to compare in terms of appeal in Vietnam.
A similar situation occurred at Minh Tuan Mobile, another authorized Apple dealer. “After a month of sales, the device has not had any outstanding sales despite attracting attention from users, especially those switching to iPhone for the first time. The device’s purchasing power cannot be compared to the iPhone 15/15 Plus,” said a representative of Minh Tuan Mobile.
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The iPhone 16e has many features cut, facing competition from the discounted line. Photo: PCMag. |
In addition, the price adjustment of many other products in the product line at the same time also affected the 16e model. Specifically, a week before selling the new model, the company reduced the price of a series of old phones. Of which, the iPhone 15 is the product that benefits the most, being 3 million VND cheaper than before Tet.
With a price of about 16 million VND, the iPhone 15 is not only cheaper but also has many advantages when placed next to the 16e. The iPhone 16e has a high configuration, uses a new network modem and has an Action Button, but takes advantage of many components and designs from the iPhone 13/14 era. The screen, Dynamic Island notch design, charging technology, camera and accessory support, the iPhone 15 are all superior.
After the price reduction, iPhone 15 became the trump card for Apple in the mid-high-end segment in Vietnam.
“The company decided the fate of this model by deeply discounting the iPhone 15 before its release date. A bad launch greatly affects the entire life cycle of the device,” TM., a sales specialist at a major Apple distributor in Vietnam, told Tri Thuc - ZNews.
According to this person, when a product has very low sales and the dealer has no demand, the company also stops importing more to avoid creating difficult-to-handle inventory.
Contrasting tastes
According to data from Counterpoint Research , Apple was the leader in the global smartphone market in the first quarter. The reason came from strong demand in some countries, sales were boosted by the iPhone 16e.
In the first quarter, Apple's global market share reached 19%, with sales up 4% year-over-year. Meanwhile, Samsung ranked second with a market share of 18%. The launch of the iPhone 16e also contributed to Apple's advantage. By launching the iPhone in the first quarter, Apple is competing directly with Samsung and Xiaomi, which often launch Android flagships at the beginning of the year.
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iPhone 16e helps Apple increase global market share. Photo: Counterpoint Research. |
The Asian market, including Vietnam, operates in the opposite direction. The iPhone 16e is “harmless” to the Android flagship because domestic customers usually only like the most high-end phones. During the launch of the Xiaomi 15 or S25 series, the most expensive Ultra models accounted for 90% of pre-orders. The price and feature gap between the “cheap iPhone” and the top Android is huge.
In addition, the choice to cut features and make it easier to access is also not suitable for domestic Apple users. No low-cost iPhone has ever left a special mark in Vietnam. From the iPhone 5C, the SE generations to the mini version of the iPhone 12/13, the products all sold very slowly. On the contrary, they contributed a lot of revenue to Apple in Europe and North America.
The only time such a device attracted Vietnamese customers was when the iPhone 5C was sold as a locked version, hand-carried, more than 10 years ago. The price was so cheap, only a few million VND, that customers overcame their prejudices about the segment, in exchange for a suitable experience.
Source: https://znews.vn/mau-iphone-la-con-cung-quoc-te-ban-eo-viet-nam-post1547298.html
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