Apple Captures 33 Percent of China Smartphone Market

Apple Inc. captured 33 percent of the Chinese smartphone market for the week of September 14 to 20, claiming the top position in the region. This surge followed the September 18 launch of the iPhone 18 Pro series, which saw sales in the first three days exceed the first-week sales of the iPhone 17 Pro by 12 percent.

The growth provides a potential boost to a Chinese handset market previously hindered by weak consumer demand and rising component costs. Market data indicates the momentum may be driven by a delayed launch of the base iPhone 18, which prompted consumers to upgrade to Pro models.

Additionally, price increases of over US$200 on competing Chinese flagship models improved the relative value of Apple's offerings. The findings were published by Counterpoint Research.