Apple’s iPhone shipments plunge 10% in Q1 as Android rivals rebound

Apple Inc.’s iPhone shipments slid a bigger-than-projected 10 per cent in the March quarter, reflecting flagging sales in China despite a broader smartphone industry rebound.

The company shipped 50.1 million iPhones in the first three months, according to IDC’s preliminary figures, falling shy of an average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg of 51.7 million units for the period.

The Cupertino, California-based company has struggled to sustain sales in the world’s biggest smartphone market since the debut of its latest iPhone generation in September. The resurgence of Huawei Technologies Co., more domestic competition and a Beijing ban on foreign devices in the workplace have all weighed on sales.