As Chinese start to return to work after the lock-down, the fruity cargo cult Apple has been suffering according to Mo Jia, who tracks the global smartphone industry at research firm Canalys.

He said that although some smartphone brands have seen sales in China recover as the virus subsides in the country, Apple is not yet one of them.

Jia attributes the delayed uptake to Chinese brands’ swift rollout of 5G devices, as consumers who are ready to purchase new phones want models compatible with the country’s upgraded telecommunications networks.

“Apple only offers 4G phones, and they are expensive compared to their counterparts”, Jia said.

Apple has been forced to drop its prices. The online store for Suning, a popular Chinese electronics vendor, offers the 64GB version of the iPhone 11 for 4,999 yuan ($707.54), a discount of 500 yuan from the price listed on Apple’s official China Website.

The 64GB version of the iPhone 11 Pro Max, meanwhile, sells for 7,499 yuan ($1,061.38), a discount of 1,600 yuan from the price on Apple’s China website.

Other e-commerce vendors, including JD.com, Gome, and Dangdang, as well as several authorised Apple resellers on Tmall, the popular site run by Alibaba Group offer similar price cuts.