Apple has unveiled a new “silver wing grey” pair of Beats Solo3 wireless headphones to commemorate the Chinese New Year.
The headphones, which are only available in China, are one of the items highlighted in Apple’s Chinese New Year gift guide. Apple also showcases the iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, Apple Watch and iPad Pro as hot ticket items — along with third-party products like the Lifeprint photo printer and DJI Osmo gimbal video camera.
Apple has long celebrated Chinese New Year. In the past, it has unveiled exclusive products for the market like an Apple Watch red color option several years back. In the past, it’s also offered Chinese New Year sales in select Asian markets, along with headphone giveaways, although this year deals seem to be thin on the ground. (Although customers in nearby Japan got a one-day sale.)
Although this is not a new strategy for Apple, this year’s Chinese New Year coincides with various challenges Apple is facing in the country. While Tim Cook has denied that these are happening at scale, there have been media reports about a business boycott of Apple products. The burgeoning trade war between the U.S. and China also threatens to impact on everything from manufacturing to sales. Finally, Cook this week reported that Apple will miss its own earnings guidance this year for the first time under Cook’s leadership — with shortfall of iPhone sales in China one of the big reasons.
Will Apple be able to get sales moving in the country with its gift guide? It seems logical to assume it’ll take more than that, but a New Years lift in sales certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Source: Apple
