Apple to close first retail store in China since 2008 entry

"Given the departure of several retailers at the Parkland Mall, we have made the decision to close our store," Apple spokesman Brian Bumbery told the New York Post.

"We love serving the Dalian community, and all of our valued team members will have the opportunity to continue their roles with Apple."

The closure underscores Apple's ongoing struggles in China, its second-largest market, where sales have declined for six straight quarters.

The company reported US$66.95 billion in revenue from China last year, nearly 10% lower than its 2022 peak of $74.2 billion, according to The New York Times.

A passerby walking past an Apple Store in Shanghai with a Huawei advertisement in the background. Photo by Reuters

Local competitors such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo have steadily reduced Apple's market share.

Counterpoint Research reported that Apple's share of China's smartphone market fell from 17.9% in 2023 to 15.5% in 2024.

In the second quarter of 2025, Huawei returned to the top of the mainland market, capturing 18% of smartphone sales, the South China Morning Post reported, citing data from Canalys. Apple placed fifth with a 15% share.

The U.S. tech giant will continue operating its other store in Dalian, located at another shopping mall, Olympia 66, and plans to open a new outlet in the southern city of Shenzhen this month.

It expects to end 2025 with 58 retail stores in China, the same number it had at the beginning of the year.