Apple’s latest iPhone 17 lineup appears to be rewriting expectations in China, a market where the company has faced increasing pressure from local brands and shifting consumer sentiment.
According to new data from Counterpoint Research, Apple didn’t just perform well in October, it outpaced the entire smartphone market’s growth by a huge margin. While China’s overall smartphone sales rose 8% year-over-year, iPhone sales jumped an impressive 37%.
In practical terms? One out of every four smartphones sold in China last month was an iPhone.
A Turnaround in a Challenging Environment
China hasn’t been the easiest place for Apple lately. Increased competition from Huawei, political pressure to support local brands, and Apple’s ongoing reliance on the country for manufacturing have all created a complex landscape. Despite diversifying production into India and Southeast Asia, China still remains central to Apple’s supply chain — and its headaches.
Even so, the numbers show that Chinese consumers are responding strongly to the iPhone 17 series. Counterpoint’s report indicates:
- All three iPhone 17 models posted double-digit growth
- The standard iPhone 17 led the lineup, seeing the fastest growth
- Apple’s October sell-through was its best December-quarter start ever, surpassing the previous record from 2021
Apple also came out far ahead of major competitors: Xiaomi and Vivo trailed at 16% and 17% market share respectively. Huawei, meanwhile, saw a 19% year-over-year decline — suggesting Apple may be winning back some of the customers it lost to the Mate series resurgence.
What About iPhone Air?
Interestingly, the report doesn’t provide insight into the performance of the iPhone Air, leaving some curiosity about how Apple’s newest budget-tier option is faring in China.
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