{
  "id": 6662309,
  "title": "Apple’s New CEO Heads Into Its Launch Event With a China Problem Tim Cook Never Faced",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apples-new-ceo-heads-into-its-launch-event-with-a-china-problem-tim",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-09T15:53:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/apple-ceo-heads-launch-event-155304239.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As rivals Huawei and Xiaomi unveiled premium foldable devices just days before Apple's anticipated launch, the high-end market in China has become increasingly competitive. Huawei's Mate XT 2 and Xiaomi's Xiaomi 18 Fold both challenge Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone introduction on September 9. Consequently, Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, faces a more daunting task as the inaugural foldable to debut under his leadership.\n\nIn its latest quarter, Apple held a mere 19% share of China's smartphone market, trailing behind Huawei's 23% presence. Although overall Greater China revenue grew, it remained below analysts' expectations, placing the new foldable device in a market where Apple is still striving to catch up. Furthermore, the foldable launch takes on added significance for Apple as its first flagship device under Ternus' leadership. The hardware engineer, who has spent 25 years at Apple, now faces the spotlight of introducing such a complex form factor.\n\nHowever, a quieter threat arises from Xiaomi's Xiaomi 18 Fold, which utilizes its proprietary Xring processor and domestically produced ChangXin Memory Technologies memory. This trend highlights the growing development of high-end semiconductor technology within Chinese phone manufacturers. Apple continues to rely on external suppliers, while the global memory shortage is already exerting pressure on its costs and pricing.\n\nDespite these challenges, Counterpoint Research analyst Ivan Lam remains optimistic, anticipating the new foldable iPhone to sell well and gain market share rapidly. Lam also suggests that Apple's entry into the foldable market will make it mainstream, potentially benefiting rivals like Huawei and Xiaomi as well. Apple's recent success, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup and record Services revenue, has resulted in a 34% increase in AAPL stock over the past year, outpacing the S&P 500's 18% gain during the same period.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}