Tim Cook says he’s still ‘optimistic’ about China longterm as questions swirl about iPhone 15 demand as competition heats up

• Tim Cook tried to take a cheery note on demand for the iPhone in China during Apple’s earnings call.
• Apple faces increased competition from Huawei, which released a new phone in China in September.
• Apple shares were down in after-hours trading following a fourth straight quarterly revenue decline.

China seemed to be the topic on Wall Street analysts’ minds during Apple’s earnings call on Thursday.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked multiple questions about demand for the company’s products in China during the earnings call, amid reports that iPhone 15 sales were off to a slower start amid increased competition from rival Huawei and increasing tensions between the US and the Chinese government, which reportedly banned government officials from using iPhones.