It appears that the United States isn’t the only market where the iPhone 8 isn’t selling well. According to a new report out of China, major online retailers in the country are now discounting the iPhone 8 amid concerns of a slowdown in sales.
The iPhone 8 appears to have performed reasonably well in China at least initially. A recent report from a market research firm suggested that Apple was able to cut its losing streak in China after several months just because the iPhone 8 was selling well compared to the iPhone 7.
The South China Morning Post reports that major online retailers in China have now discounted the iPhone 8 by as much as $165. Some retailers are even offering additional discounts to customers who put down a deposit for an iPhone 8 with a larger storage capacity.
It’s rare for a new iPhone model to receive discounts so quickly so either demand has cratered after an initial uptick in sales or there’s low interest among customers for this particular device.
Some customers may also be passing on the iPhone 8 for the iPhone X. Some analysts are concerned that Apple’s flagship smartphone could end up cannibalizing the iPhone 8’s sales. That’s believed to be one of the major reasons why the iPhone 8 hasn’t sold well in the United States.
iPhone customers who don’t want an iPhone 8 because they want to buy the iPhone X might be in for a considerable wait, though. Shipping times for the iPhone X have already slipped to several weeks and it’s unlikely that the situation will improve in the coming days.