The hot sales of the iPhone 17 series of mobile phones drove Apple's smartphone sales in China to surge by 37% in October, showing that it still has strong growth momentum in this key market. Data from market research firm Counterpoint Research shows that the iPhone accounted for a quarter of China's smartphone sales in October, the first time it has reached this level since 2022.
The data shows Apple's annual product upgrades are resonating with consumers and supports CEO Cook's expectations that China's revenue is expected to resume growth this quarter.
Data from Counterpoint shows that from the iPhone 17 priced at 5,999 yuan to the iPhone 17 Pro Max priced at 8,999 yuan, the sales of each new model have achieved double-digit growth compared with their previous-generation iPhone 16 series. The iPhone's hot sales have also led to a recovery in China's sluggish smartphone market, with overall sales increasing by about 8%.
Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam said that the new generation of iPhone models accounted for more than 80% of Apple's overall mobile phone shipments, and pointed out that as higher average selling prices drive revenue growth, the growth rate may be further amplified.
In addition to Apple, Oppo's smartphone sales increased by 19% year-on-year in October, mainly driven by the Find X9 model with larger battery capacity.
Still, Huawei remains Apple's strongest competitor in the Chinese market and plans to release a new flagship model next week.
"Risks remain, especially with the much-anticipated Huawei Mate 80 series set to be released on November 25," Lam said. "But Apple's iPhone momentum is very strong and there are few clear signs of slowdown in sight."