Apple Launches Lunar New Year Sale in China With Up to RMB 1,000 Discounts

Apple is cutting prices in China again. Just weeks after its last promotion, the company has announced a fresh round of Lunar New Year discounts, offering up to RMB 1,000 (roughly $144 USD) off a wide range of products, from the latest Macs to the iPhone 16 lineup. The move underscores how competitive Apple's most important overseas market has become as it looks to maintain momentum into 2026.



The limited-time offer runs from January 24 through January 27 and applies when customers use select payment methods. iPhone buyers can save RMB 300 on an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus, while the iPhone 16e is discounted by RMB 200. The biggest reductions are on Macs, with the M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro models seeing a RMB 1,000 price cut. The recently released M5 MacBook Pro is discounted by RMB 800, while the M4 MacBook Air is marked down by up to RMB 800, depending on configuration. Apple is also offering savings on the Mac mini and iMac.


Tablets are included as well. Shoppers can take RMB 400 off the M5 iPad Pro and M3 iPad Air, while the standard iPad (A16) and iPad mini (A17 Pro) receive RMB 200 discounts. The Apple Pencil Pro is also part of the promotion, with a RMB 100 price reduction.

Wearables and audio products aren't left out. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is discounted by RMB 300, while the Series 11 and SE 3 models see RMB 200 price cuts, including Hermès editions. AirPods Max is discounted by RMB 300 and AirPods 4 models are discounted by RMB 100. To qualify for the discounts, customers must use specific payment options such as Alipay, WeChat Pay, or select Chinese bank cards. The sale also coincides with Apple's push for its limited-edition Year of the Horse AirPods Pro.

While the iPhone 17 helped Apple claim the top spot in China recently, holding that position remains a challenge. Local competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi continue to benefit from national subsidy programs that Apple's premium devices often do not qualify for, which makes holding its pricing ground in China more difficult for Apple.