Apple iPhone 17 Sales Surge 22 Percent in China

Apple Inc. experienced a 22 percent year-over-year surge in iPhone sales in China during the first month after the September 19 launch of the iPhone 17 series. Data from Counterpoint Research shows the new lineup represented nearly 80 percent of the company's smartphone units sold to consumers in that period.

This performance marks a significant reversal from the September 2024 launch of the iPhone 16, which saw a 5 percent decline in the Chinese market. The growth occurred despite a broader contraction in the Chinese smartphone market, where third-quarter sales fell 2.7 percent year-on-year.

CEO Tim Cook linked the growth to increased traffic and a strong reception of the new hardware. Cook noted that because some products were ineligible for government subsidies, the demand was largely organic. The launch was highlighted by crowds of hundreds of customers at the company's Beijing flagship store, indicating brand resilience against competitors such as Huawei and Xiaomi.