Photo: VCG

Chinese netizens have expressed mixed reactions to newly released iPhone models on Wednesday, following the launch event of the iPhone 15 series early on Wednesday morning (Beijing time).

During the event which was themed ‘Wonderlust’, Apple unveiled a new series of iPhones including the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. In addition, it also launched updated Apple watch and AirPods Pro products.

Compared with the previous models, the newly-released iPhones have new chips and new titanium shells and come with a USB-C charging cable.

The new series of iPhones will be available on September 22, with pre-orders starting this Friday. Apple’s iOS 17 will be officially released on September 18. 

JD Daojia said it will unite more than 4,600 Apple authorized franchise stores across the Chinese mainland on Friday, simultaneously starting the pre-sale of iPhone 15 series.

After the event, some Chinese netizens expressed willingness to buy the new smartphones based on the latest chips and new color palette.

After following an article that detailed this year’s new iPhone products on Apple’s official WeChat account, a netizen named ‘Sunflower’ said that it has become a habit to buy new Apple products every year, adding that they will likely purchase a 15promax 256G.

Another netizen named ‘tww’ said that the titanium shell is cool and he will be the first to use the phone.

Other consumers are taking a wait-and-see approach toward Apple’s new products, saying that the iPhone 15 lacks innovation.

A netizen named ‘aiqingshiyihunyisu’ shared a photo of a tube of toothpaste being squeezed on Sina Weibo, and the caption reads “I took this picture to describe the Apple launch.” 

Another netizen with using the moniker ‘kanxiamen’ said that there are no surprises in Apple products this year, if not taking into account the new colors. The netizen added that he was looking to buy the newly launched Huawei Mate 60 Pro.

Reuters reported that the biggest surprise with the iPhone 15 that will come out September 22 is that prices remain unchanged.

Apple shares closed down 1.7 percent after the event on Wednesday.

Liu Dingding, an independent tech analyst, told the Global Times on Wednesday that Chinese consumers are being presented with a wider range of choices. A number of Chinese cell phone makers are rapidly catching up and some are even surpassing the iPhone when it comes to certain features.

The launch of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro will ramp up competition with Apple. According to analyst Martin Yang from the investment bank Oppenheimer, the release of Huawei Mate 60 Pro series could potentially lead to a reduction of Apple's iPhone shipments by 10 million units in 2024.

Huawei has increased its shipment target for its latest series of mobile phones in the second half of the year by 20 percent, as Mate 60 series ignited a buying spree, forecasting that total shipments will reach 40 million in 2023, the Securities Daily reported on Tuesday, citing insiders close to the company. 

Huawei's strong comeback gives users more choice, and will force Apple out of its comfort zone and lead to fierce market competition and tech innovation. Either way, it's good for the consumers, industry analysts said.