Apple was expecting a sales boost in China but failed to do so because of stiff competition with manufacturers like Huawei. The country used to comprise 30 percent of sales.
Now Apple is only fifth in the current rankings and is losing to a market that is dominated by Chinese brands.
The market seemed to be continuously turned off by new iPhone specifications. The California-based manufacturer confirmed that they are getting rid of the earphone jack and will release AirPods in October.
The standard earphone jack will still be available through the phone's charging port. The AirPods will require charging every five hours and will sell for $159 in the U.S.
Chinese consumers' comments online on the AirPods were not good. One user, WangXingyo, said, "Apple will probably make an app called Find My AirPods next," user WangXinyo wrote in a post. "I don't need to buy earphones anymore because I can just pick up AirPods accidentally dropped on the ground."
He echoes similar sentiments from users who said that the AirPods are hard to use and easy to lose.
"People used to gather to play Pokémon GO," another user Miaoxiaoxuan mi wrote. "In the future, everyone will gather to try to find their AirPods."
The research director of Canalys, Nicole Peng, reported that aside from the AirPod, Chinese consumers are looking for added features that manufacturers like Huawei have already put on their phones.
These features are the dual sim card slot and powerful batteries that provide extra phone life.
Peng wrote, "The dual-lens camera won't be a big attraction either because a number of local players, including Huawei and the fast-rising OPPO, already put phones with enhanced camera functions on the market. The iPhone 7 did little to differentiate itself."