New figures from analysts Canalys show that the iPhone fell from 5th to 7th place in its Chinese market share in the last quarter, being overtaken by local companies Huawei and Xiaomi. Apple now has 4.8 percent of the smartphone market in China …
The news appears to underline the rationale behind Apple’s plastic iPhone. While Apple would never have the desire to compete at the budget end of the market – Xiaomi’s latest Hongmi handset is priced at just $130 – China’s emerging middle class offers a key target for what is expected to be a mid-market product.
