Head-to-head comparison of Apple and Huawei's first sales: iPhone16 standard version has broken prices, while Huawei Mate XT is priced at a premium of 30,000 yuan

On September 20th, the iPhone16 series officially went on sale, marking the true first generation of AI iPhones. However, Apple's AI currently has little relevance to domestic users, and the Chinese version of the service is not expected until next year at the earliest.

A week ago, during the pre-sale of the iPhone16 series, the Titanium Media app pointed out that despite being criticized for incremental innovation, the new generation of iPhones continued to sell well. Official crashes, ordering bugs, and platforms like JD.com selling out within seconds were all part of the evening. Currently, if you were to place an order, the estimated delivery date would be about half a month later.

Due to the decline in product strength and the development of express delivery, staying up late to queue at Apple Store retail stores has become a thing of the past. Instant retail platforms like Meituan, Ele.me, and Hema have also joined the first-sale battle. However, compared to waiting comfortably at home for the new device, many Apple fans still choose the more ceremonial offline pickup, mainly to experience the atmosphere of the opening day, countdown with other fans and Apple store staff, and receive the welcome and cheers, emotions that express delivery cannot provide.

At the Wangfujing Apple Store retail store, as observed by the Titanium Media app, half an hour before opening, a large number of Apple fans had already started queuing up, and the mall where the Apple Store is located had also prepared security in advance to maintain order on-site. According to on-site staff, one Apple fan had started queuing up the night before, and more people started arriving after 6 o'clock, all just to be among the first to enter the store and get the new device.

It is worth mentioning that just across the street from the Wangfujing Apple Store is the Huawei flagship store, which also had a long line of people outside, as today was also the day when the Huawei Mate XT extraordinary master three-fold was released. Released on the same day, sold on the same day, the tension between Huawei and Apple was palpable. Even with autumn rain falling in Beijing, it did not dampen everyone's enthusiasm.

People queuing outside the Huawei store and the Apple store on the other side of the street, captured by the Titanium Media app

However, compared to Apple, those queuing at the Huawei store had not received pickup notification messages. Despite being informed that there were no available stocks in the store, they still queued up last night. "Just in case there are stocks, take a chance, turning a bicycle into a motorcycle."

Accompanying those waiting to pick up their orders were many scalpers. The first-sale day was a day for them to receive and resell goods in large quantities, and also the day with the highest premium. Unlike in the past, this year, due to differences in the initial batch quantity and attention, scalpers "chose" Huawei, hoping to receive the Huawei Mate XT extraordinary master, with higher markups. The iPhone16 series was also being recycled, but with only a few hundred yuan in markup compared to Huawei's tens of thousands, there was not much comparability.

From a scalper, the Titanium Media app learned that the standard version of the iPhone16 had already broken the price before the sale, and there was no intention to recycle it. The iPhone16 Pro Max had the highest premium, but it was only up to 500 yuan, a significant drop compared to previous years On the first day of sales, both Apple fans and Android fans stayed up all night in the autumn rain to queue up

Every year, there are criticisms, yet every year it is still a huge success. Whenever the new iPhone is criticized for squeezing toothpaste, lack of innovation, and no one will buy it, the bustling sales on the first day always strike a blow to the doubters.

At 8 p.m. on September 13th, Beijing time, the iPhone 16 series and other new products officially started pre-orders. Interestingly, contrary to most people's expectations, the first batch of iPhone 16 Pro series machines were quickly sold out on Apple's official website, JD.com, Taobao, and other pre-sale channels. Topics like "iPhone 16 Pro Max sold out in seconds" also made it to the hot search list.

From a product perspective, the new generation of iPhone does have stronger performance, and after aligning everything with AI, there are also many new user experiences. The larger size, added camera button, and new colors have made the "die-hard fans" eager. Some Apple fans even commented that this year's iPhone 16 is the biggest update in recent years.

iPhone 16 Pro Max, captured by the Titanium Media APP

However, there are still many criticisms. Firstly, the 8GB of RAM, for the standard version, if not for a better AI experience, Apple probably would have only provided 6GB. The Pro version still remains at 8GB and has not been upgraded to 12GB, which has left many users dissatisfied.

In response, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, Johny Srouji, explained, "8GB of memory is just right. The software team will optimize the memory footprint of each application, and after multiple tests, Apple believes that 8GB is the optimal size to avoid memory waste." Although this explanation is quite strained, users can only accept it. If you are not in a hurry to change your phone, you can wait for next year's iPhone 17 Pro, which should have 12GB of memory available.

Furthermore, the biggest change in the appearance of the iPhone 16 series this year is the addition of a camera button. Clicking it will launch the camera application, clicking it again will take a photo. Holding it down will record a video. By sliding your finger, you can adjust exposure, depth of field, and other camera functions, as well as switch between different lenses or use digital zoom for composition.

After experiencing it on-site, the Titanium Media APP found that the learning curve for this new button is quite high, both in terms of operation commands and the force of operation. It always feels less convenient than operating on the screen as before, perhaps more suitable for professionals. For ordinary users, the biggest value should be letting others know that you have bought the latest iPhone. "It's actually not bad. It's just a matter of getting used to it a few times. After getting used to the habits of single press, double press, and long press, you will find it more convenient," said an Apple store employee.

The new camera button added to the iPhone16 series, captured by the Titanium Media APP.

However, this still cannot stop the enthusiasm of Apple fans. This morning at 8 o'clock, the iPhone16 series officially went on sale. Around 7:40, the Titanium Media APP arrived at the Wangfujing Apple Store and found people already lining up. But compared to a few years ago when people stayed up all night to line up, the crowd was much smaller. By around 7:50, more consumers came to pick up their orders.

Store staff told the Titanium Media APP that an Apple fan had come yesterday evening, and more people started arriving after 6 o'clock. Currently, everyone in the store is there to pick up their reserved orders, and there is no stock of the iPhone16 Pro series. "Usually, during the initial sales period, the Pro series is in high demand, while the standard version should be easier to get."

Users lining up to pick up their orders at the Apple Store, captured by the Titanium Media APP.

It is understood that after the official launch, Apple will adjust the delivery time based on production capacity. Although the order shows a wait of half a month, it may arrive in about ten days. If it arrives early, the official will send an email notification to the user. "Starting tomorrow, you can refresh the official website more frequently, and don't worry about the pickup time and store. Just place an order when you see available stock," said an Apple Store retail staff member. In addition, users participating in the annual renewal plan will have an "additional" channel for purchasing. Staff revealed that Apple sets aside some stock for these users every year, which can be considered a benefit for purchasing AppleCare+.

Today is the first day of the iPhone16 series launch, as well as the first day of sales for the Huawei Mate XT Master Edition. Just across the street from the Wangfujing Apple Store, the first flagship store of Huawei in Beijing was also crowded with people. While most of the people lining up at the Apple store were there to pick up their orders, at the Huawei store, most were hoping to buy stock offline or buy stock earlier.

It is worth noting that early this morning, it started raining lightly in Beijing. The users lining up inside the Apple store were indoors, while those at Huawei, as it was not yet opening time, were outside with chairs and raincoats, hoping to buy stock earlier. Security guards were occasionally seen maintaining order. "What if we can buy stock earlier inside the store? Although we were told to purchase only after receiving a text message, I'm still willing to take the chance. If I can buy it, I'll make a profit of 30,000 yuan," said Xiao Zhang (pseudonym), who was among the first in line, to the Titanium Media APP.

People lining up overnight in the rain outside the Huawei store, captured by the Titanium Media APP.

In terms of the time spent waiting in line and the difficulty level, it seems more challenging on the Huawei side. A group of people lining up all night may have a low probability of buying. In comparison, the mood of consumers lining up at Apple is different, as they can pay early and immediately get the new device An iPhone user who had just purchased a new phone couldn't help but exclaim when seeing the crowd lining up at the Huawei store: "They're out of stock again, using scarcity marketing. I wonder how many of them are actually for personal use." The Huawei Mate XT is positioned as a high-end business device, and users at this price point probably wouldn't line up themselves. Most of them are likely looking to make a profit.

iPhone16 standard version has broken the price, Huawei Mate XT premium by 30,000

Interestingly, at the Wangfujing Apple Store, a consumer who had just purchased a new iPhone was seen giving it to a "scalper" as soon as they left, then went to queue up at the Huawei flagship store across the street. "I always grab the first release every year just to make some pocket money. If it's for personal use, it's better to wait for next year's 618. Huawei is making more money now," the consumer told the media.

A merchant in Huaqiangbei told the media that despite being criticized, every year's new iPhone is always in high demand, but only on the first day or the first two days in the past two years, and the price increase in the secondary market is also unstable.

Before the official release, a quote obtained from a recycling merchant by the media showed that the iPhone16 standard version had broken the price, with a buyback price 150-500 lower than the official selling price, while the Pro version had a premium ranging from 100-700, with the newly launched Desert Gold color having the lowest premium. Moreover, the entire iPhone16 series with AppleCare+ are not accepted for buyback. In the words of scalpers, items with AppleCare+ are hard to sell, as not everyone needs AppleCare+ services.

Pre-sale prices for the iPhone16 series

After the morning sale, prices in the secondary market have been fluctuating, with even scalpers admitting that they don't understand this year's market. "Someone added 1000 to buy the Pro last night, and this morning some versions are close to breaking the price." It is understood that the version with the highest premium is the 512GB iPhone16 Pro Max, but it's only 500 yuan, while the Desert Gold color is even lower at 300 yuan, and the premiums for other Pro series are mostly between 100-300 yuan.

"This is related to the buyback market. Learning from last year's lesson, we didn't dare to set the price too high at the beginning. Most of the first batch of goods have been sold, with few for personal use. With the market flooded with goods, we can't sell at a high price, so we can only hold onto them."

It should be noted that due to the limited initial supply of the iPhone16 Pro series and scalpers holding onto stock, we are seeing some Pro versions breaking the price, but more so in terms of buyback prices. Consumers looking to buy will likely have to pay a premium, which is expected to continue until mid-October. "The early arrivals get the meat, the late arrivals get the soup, and the last arrivals do the dishes," a vendor commented on the iPhone16 series Compared to the decline of the iPhone, Huawei's high-end flagship phones have always been referred to as the "Maotai of electronics," a solid currency in the market. From last year's Huawei Mate60 to Mate X5, and now to the just released tri-fold Huawei Mate XT Master, they are all "financial tools." Ever since the release of the Huawei Mate XT Master, the market has been hyped up, with some even offering as high as 180,000 or more just to get the first batch.

Just looking at the millions of reservations on the Huawei Mall, it's very difficult to get your hands on the Huawei Mate XT Master, so many people started queuing up offline after pre-ordering. However, the stock levels at different stores vary, and some even require a lucky draw, so luck is also needed. Another channel to purchase the Huawei Mate XT Master is through a "优购码" (优购 code), which was also speculated to be worth 30,000 a few days ago.

According to information from scalpers on the scene obtained by the Titanium Media APP, the premium for the Huawei Mate XT Master in the secondary market is around 30,000 yuan, and on the same day, the spot price is even higher by another 10,000 to 20,000 yuan. By queuing overnight, one could earn 30,000 or even more, which is why some people endure the rain and stay up all night.

No Need to Praise or Criticize Apple and Huawei

Regarding the positive impact of Apple and Huawei this time, it has also sparked a wave of public opinion online. Those supporting Huawei directly point out that Apple lacks innovation, with its appearance unchanged for years, the camera button being left over from other brands, AI not yet usable domestically, and lacking any real innovation. On the other hand, those supporting Apple believe that the iPhone excels in its ecosystem and various capabilities such as video, while Huawei only has a tri-fold screen, which is more of a show-off, and its quality control is questionable.

From the perspective of simply raising prices in the secondary market, Huawei's tri-fold screen easily outperforms the iPhone 16 series. However, in terms of scale, the initial batch quantity of iPhones in the tens of millions far exceeds that of Huawei. Even if the markup is minimal, it's a cake that scalpers cannot afford to miss out on. Moreover, not everyone can get a piece of this big cake from Huawei.

Huawei flagship store in Beijing, as captured by the Titanium Media APP

In fact, the new products from Huawei and Apple this time represent two different directions and target different groups of people, so there's no need to praise or criticize either. The Huawei Mate XT Master, as another exploration of foldable screens, brings a larger screen experience with its tri-fold form, connecting smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Priced at around 20,000 yuan, it is aimed at high-end business people, and in terms of quantity, it certainly has a big gap compared to the iPhone 16 series, focusing more on brand shaping and a new attempt in the industry Tianfeng International Securities analyst Guo Minghao stated that the latest supply chain survey indicated that the shipment forecast for Huawei's foldable phone Mate XT Master in 2024 has been raised from 500,000 units to 1 million units, but attention should be paid to whether the demand heat after the release (September 20) can be sustained.

For a product like Huawei Mate XT Master, a shipment volume of 1 million is already very high. However, some may question why Huawei cannot accelerate production when there are already millions of online reservations. This can be explained by the limited production capacity and high technological processes, resulting in insufficient early stock. Moreover, considering the clear target audience, it is evident that a significant portion of the online reservations are speculative and not for personal use. Imagine how many business elites have time to queue up at stores? It's either scalpers or purchasing agents.

As for the iPhone 16 series, based on current data, the performance in the first week is estimated not to be very good. According to data from Tianfeng International Securities analyst Guo Minghao, the weekend pre-order volume for the iPhone 16 series is approximately 37 million units, a decrease of about 12.7% compared to the iPhone 15 series. However, in terms of overall product strength and user experience, iPhone still dominates the high-end smartphone market. Even with declining sales, it remains far ahead of other smartphone brands in this segment.

In the Chinese market, after losing the top spot, Apple faces one challenge after another. Challenges include the relationship and competition with WeChat, Huawei's recovery in the high-end market, and the launch of more competitive flagship models by Xiaomi, Vivo, and others. AI can be seen as the last stop for Apple to stop the decline. Just like the transition from feature phones to smartphones, although not as dramatic, AI has become a necessity, and Apple needs to continue to accelerate in this area.

Counterpoint analysts believe that Apple Intelligence will drive iPhone revenue to grow in a step-by-step manner, rather than a single super cycle. Historically, Apple has experienced two critical super cycles: the first in 2016 triggered by the large-screen iPhone 6, and the second in 2021 driven by the clever combination strategy of the iPhone 12/13 series and the post-pandemic demand rebound. For Apple Intelligence, at least in the short term, there is no apparent "cumulative demand" for generative AI features. Apple Intelligence will adopt a phased strategy in terms of functionality and release regions, so its full impact may take some time to fully manifest. These factors will lead to Apple's iPhone revenue showing step-by-step growth, rather than a single super cycle "

Without AI, Apple is going through the toughest period in China, while Huawei's "leading blow" is making it hard for Apple in the high-end market. It can be foreseen that from now until the end of the year, Huawei will accelerate to reclaim the market that Apple once took away. However, from the perspective of the terminal market, Huawei's full return finally brings new highlights to the dull mobile phone market, which is what the general consumers are more willing to see.

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