Apple’s iPhone sales surge in China to take 25% market share

(Bloomberg/Vlad Savov) — Apple Inc.’s iPhone 17 series drove a 37% rise in its monthly smartphone sales in China, signaling strong momentum in a key market.

iPhones accounted for one in every four smartphones sold in the country in October, the first time it’s hit that threshold since 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. The figures suggest Apple’s year-on-year upgrades are resonating with consumers and support Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook’s prediction that the company will return to growth in China this quarter.

Each of the successor models, from the 5,999-yuan (about $850) iPhone 17 to the 8,999-yuan 17 Pro Max, outperformed its iPhone 16 precursor in sales by a double-digit percentage, according to Counterpoint. Apple’s performance lifted China’s long-sluggish smartphone market, stuck in a rut even government subsidies couldn’t shake, to 8% growth.

The share of new model iPhones is at over 80% of Apple’s unit sales, Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam said. “We’re likely to see growth amplified as rising ASPs push the top-line higher.”

Beyond Apple, Oppo’s smartphone sales grew 19% in October from a year earlier, driven by demand for its Find X9 device with a larger battery. Huawei Technologies Co. slipped by 19%, partly because it didn’t release a new model that month. Huawei remains Apple’s most formidable rival in China, with a new flagship device launch planned for next week, though demand for the iPhone 17 appears steady.

“There’s always some risk, especially with the much-anticipated Huawei Mate 80 series launching on November 25th,” Lam said. “But there’s a lot of momentum behind Apple and at this point not much tapering to indicate a steep dropoff.”

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