Apple's official China website shows that the last operating day for its Parkland Mall store in Dalian is August 9, 2025. This marks the closure of Apple's first directly managed store in China.
Chinese media reports indicate that the Parkland Mall store opened in 2015 as Dalian's first and Liaoning's second Apple-managed store. Another Dalian location, the Olympia 66 store, which opened in 2016, will continue to operate.
Parkland Mall officially changed its name to Intime City in June 2025. Industry observers speculate that changes in mall management and a significant decline in foot traffic over recent years may have contributed to Apple's decision not to renew the lease.
Apple stated that several retailers had already withdrawn from Parkland, so it decided to close its store there.
According to Apple's website, it currently has 49 directly managed stores across mainland China, primarily concentrated in first- and second-tier cities, including three stores that opened after 2023.
Directly managed stores serve as critical consumer touchpoints, responsible for delivering customer experience and reinforcing brand image. The presence or absence of one is often seen as an indicator of how much importance Apple places on a local market. In comparison, Apple's main competitor, Huawei, operates about 11 flagship stores in China, mostly located in prime shopping districts of first- and second-tier cities.
On the other hand, Apple's iPhone sales performance in China has been lackluster in recent years, criticized mainly for lacking innovation and lagging behind in AI features.
Canalys data shows that in the second quarter of 2025, Apple shipped 10.1 million units in China, up 4% year-over-year, holding a 15% market share and ranking fourth. Huawei led the market with an 18% share, shipping 12.2 million units, a 15% increase year-over-year.
Article edited by Jack Wu
