Download Chinese consumers may be having second thoughts about buying Apple's iPhone. The devices are becoming so common in China these days that many people lost their once strong desire to own one. Also, iPhones are considered too expensive, and many consumers are opting for cheaper phones with similar capabilities. And the Chinese market's hesitation showed in Apple's latest quarterly financial report. Even though the California-based company delivered better-than-expected global iPhone shipments of 31.2 million units during the quarter ended June 29, its performance in Greater China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, was sluggish in the period. Apple said on Tuesday that its revenue from China fell 14 percent year-on-year to $4.6 billion in the quarter. The figure, which represents a 43 percent decline from the previous quarter, marked the first time that revenue decreased in the region. Overall, Apple's quarterly global revenue remained flat at $35.3 billion. Apple said its growth in the Chinese market had slowed, particularly due to economic headwinds. China's GDP growth eased to 7.6 percent in the first half, compared with 7.8 percent a year earlier. Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook said that he wasn't discouraged by the numbers from just one 90-day period. "I continue to believe that in the arc of time here, China is a huge opportunity for Apple," Cook said on an earnings call on Tuesday. |