Apple Closes First Store as Market Competition Intensifies
Apple announces closure of its Dalian store amid economic challenges and rising competition from Chinese smartphone makers, marking its first retail exit from China since 2008.
In a notable retrenchment from its operations in China, Apple has announced it will permanently close its retail store in Dalian’s Parkland Mall on August 9. This marks the company’s first store closure in China since entering the country in 2008, highlighting a growing set of challenges facing the tech giant in its second-largest market.
The decision comes as Apple grapples with a combination of economic uncertainty and increasing competition from domestic smartphone manufacturers. The Parkland Mall location, which opened in 2015, has suffered from waning foot traffic following the exit of several high-end international retailers in recent years. Brands like Michael Kors, Armani, Coach, Sandro, and Hugo Boss have all vacated the mall, signaling broader retail contraction in the region.
“Changes in the retail landscape and customer shopping patterns have influenced our decision,” Apple said in a statement. “We remain committed to serving our customers in China with the exceptional service and support they’ve come to expect.”
A Cooling Chinese Economy
The store closure also reflects a broader economic downturn in China. Retail sales are slowing, property prices are falling, and the country faces mounting deflationary pressures. As consumers grow more price-sensitive, many are turning to local brands, eroding Apple’s once-loyal customer base in the premium segment.
Recent data underscores the shift. As of March 2025, foreign smartphone brands accounted for just 8% of China’s market, nearly half of what it was a year earlier. Apple, which long led the premium device market in China, has seen its fortunes reversed.
Huawei’s Resurgence
Huawei, which faced years of international sanctions, has mounted a powerful comeback in the domestic market. The company now leads China’s smartphone market with an 18% share, overtaking Apple, which has slipped to fifth place with a 15% share and 10.1 million units sold in the second quarter of 2025.
Other Chinese brands: Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, continue to tighten their grip on the market, offering feature-rich devices at competitive prices, effectively squeezing Apple from both ends of the pricing spectrum.
A Strategic Inflection Point
While Apple continues to invest in China through manufacturing partnerships and software services, the Dalian closure signals a new phase in its local strategy, one that may require greater agility amid shifting consumer behavior and geopolitical uncertainty.
The company still operates dozens of stores across China, including flagship locations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Analysts suggest Apple may now focus more on digital sales and partnerships, rather than physical retail expansion.
“China remains crucial to Apple’s long-term strategy,” said Raymond Tan, an analyst with TechView Asia. “But the environment is evolving fast. Apple will need to localize, innovate, and reposition if it wants to retain relevance in the world’s most competitive smartphone market.”
As Apple recalibrates, the Dalian closure may be just the first visible step in a broader reassessment of its brick-and-mortar footprint across China.