A shock revenue warning from Apple has stoked fresh fears about trade tensions and spending in the world’s second largest economy.

　　苹果公司近日发出令人震惊的营收警告，这引发了人们对全球第二大经济体贸易紧张和购买力的新担忧。

　　But analysts say the cut to its sales forecast reflects longstanding problems at the tech giant.

　　但分析师表示，科技巨头苹果公司削减其销售预测反映了其本来长期存在的问题。

　　iPhone sales have been sliding and Apple faces stiff competition in China.

　　iPhone销售一直在下滑，苹果在中国面临激烈竞争。

　　Experts argue the warning highlights the company’s need to create new centres of growth.

　　专家认为，这一警告凸显了该公司创建新增长中心的必要性。

　　In a letter to investors on Wednesday, Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook said China was central to Apple’s sales problems.

　　苹果公司首席执行官蒂姆·库克周三在给投资者的一封信中表示，中国是苹果公司销售问题的核心。

　　The Greater China region, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, accounts for almost 20% of the firm’s revenue.

　　包括香港和台湾在内的大中华地区占该公司收入的近20%。

　　Mr Cook said Apple "did not foresee the magnitude of the economic deceleration" in Greater China, adding that US-China trade tensions had hurt consumer confidence.

　　库克表示，苹果公司“未预见到大中华区经济减速的程度”，并补充称美中贸易紧张局势损害了消费者的信心。

　　But Apple’s troubles in China aren’t new.

　　但苹果在中国面临的问题并不是什么新鲜事。

　　It has long faced tough competition in the market from cheaper local rivals like Oppo, Huawei and Xiaomi.

　　长期以来，苹果就面临着来自Oppo，华为和小米等本土竞争对手的激烈市场竞争。

　　The firm is highly dependent on customers buying new phones. That relies on technological advances - and it’s here that Apple has struggled to entice consumers.

　　该公司高度依赖购买新手机的客户。 这取决于技术的进步，而苹果一直在挣扎如何吸引消费者。

　　"Post iPhone 8, the technology advances began to plateau, thus consumers’ incentive to purchase a new iPhone has declined," Taipei-based technology analyst Sam Reynolds said.

　　“发布iPhone 8后，苹果的技术进步开始趋于稳定，因此消费者购买新iPhone的动机有所下降，”台北技术分析师Sam Reynolds表示。

　　He said Apple’s surprise revenue warning is "simply a sign of the times for Apple".

　　他表示，苹果公司惊人的收入警告“仅仅是苹果时代[终结]的标志”。