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Despite the SE Launch, iPhone Sales Down in Q220
July 19, 2020
 
China Academy of Information And Communication Institute (CIACT) disclosed smartphone shipments by Chinese brands versus "everyone else", with "everyone else", are several foreign brands, like Samsung, Sony, LG and Apple. So, it would seem that this number would be rather useless for Apple. However, the collapse of Samsung's Chinese market share, to under 1% puts foreign smartphone shipments in China "except Apple" have at most 1% of market share. The rest are iPhones. 
 
Table 1: China’s Smartphone Shipments

During Q3 FY2020, the iPhone saw a slight increase in sales in China, due largely to the iPhone SE launch. April data shows a large jump that month, driven by the iPhone SE launch (as well as a general market recovery). However, right after (and with the iPhone SE still being sold), the iPhone went back to large year-on-year sales declines. Hence, the Chinese market isn't fixed for Apple. The iPhone SE appears to have extreme success but also led to cannibalization, as Apple continues to face very easy hurdles to clear. This effect is compounded by the iPhone SE giving a boost to iPhone sales not just in China (very temporarily) but also elsewhere. Even expectations for Q4 FY2020 continue to point to a year-on-year revenue drop, though that can be explained by iPhone 12 delays, thus reducing iPhone 12 revenues from Q4 FY2020. 61.2% of the smartphones shipped in China in June 2020 were already 5G capable. But June 2020 had a 16.6% overall decline in smartphone shipments. Hence, there continues to be no 5G-induced upgrade cycle.  From: Seeking Alpha (Paulo Santos)