Apple sales in China improving with 2.5 million iPhones bought in March

As we reported last month, despite being one of few smartphone companies to be fairly unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple's iPhone sales in China plunged 61% in February 2020 as compared to last year. That equates to 494,000 iPhones sold this February.

Now, according to data from the China Academy of Information and Communications (via Reuters), the Cupertino company sold 2.5 million iPhones in China in March, apparently recovering from one of its worst months in the country ever. In total, 21 million phones were shipped in China in March, as Chinese retailers resumed their normal operations after an economic slowdown in 2020's first two months.

Smartphone sales globally hit a 10-year low in 2020, due to the financial uncertainty the coronavirus pandemic brought to consumers. And while some 5G suppliers are now waiting on Apple to decide whether or not its new 5G iPhone series will need to be delayed or not, the company's biggest manufacturing partner Foxconn is reportedly normalizing and returning to its normal working capacity.

Through the difficult recent months, Apple's CEO Tim Cook has been vocal in his support for China and its efforts, saying that the country has "demonstrated admirable spirit and resilience." In addition, Apple donated over $7 million to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, to be used in support of six hospitals in the province of Hubei, where the first case of COVID-19 was identified.

Last week, Apple reportedly sent a company-wide note to employees, letting them ask coronavirus-related questions directed at Tim Cook, which he is to answer in an upcoming internal virtual meeting. Cook will likely also let Apple employees know what the company's plans are for the near future, possibly with news clarifying if the 5G iPhone will be getting into production soon or needs to be delayed.