The iPhone 15 isn't doing well in China

• The iPhone 15 is not selling as well as its predecessor in China, per data obtained by Bloomberg. 
• Apple is under pressure in the country, with the government banning officials from using iPhones. 
• The tech giant also faces local competition from Chinese rival Huawei.

Apple's China woes look set to continue as new evidence suggests that the iPhone 15 has seen disappointing sales in the world's largest smartphone market.

Data provided to Bloomberg by market researcher GfK found that sales of the iPhone 15 were 6% lower than the iPhone 14 over the same period last year, adding to growing evidence that Apple's latest iPhone has failed to impress Chinese consumers.

The slumping sales of the iPhone 15 in China come at a bad time for Apple, with the company facing renewed local competition from Huawei.

The Chinese phone company launched its Mate 60 Pro smartphone weeks before the iPhone 15, and it has been a monster hit. The Mate 60 series has sold 1.5 million units in a month, double the number reached by Huawei's previous model. And Jefferies analysts say that Huawei has dethroned Apple from its top spot in this market.

For Apple, that's a serious threat. As well as being the manufacturing hub for a range of Apple devices, China is also the company's second biggest market by sales, accounting for 18% of its revenue last year.

However, deteriorating relations between the US and China have made Apple's position in the country increasingly precarious.

The Chinese government has reportedly barred some state employees from using iPhones and has launched a tax investigation into Foxconn, a key supplier of Apple's iPhones.

All this has put Apple's "symbiotic" relationship with China under significant strain. The company has been on a charm offensive to try and defend its position in the country, with Tim Cook making his second trip to China this year earlier this month.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.