A day before the company is set to announce earnings for its first fiscal quarter of 2015, Financial Times highlights a recent report suggesting Apple may report it sold more iPhones in China than in the U.S. for the first time ever.

According to analysts from financial firm UBS, China accounted for 36 percent of iPhone shipments in the most recent quarter, compared to 24 percent for the U.S. The analysts also compared the numbers to 2013, noting that a year before China accounted for only 22 percent of shipments with the U.S. at 29 percent.

iphone6plus
Creative Strategies analyst Ben Bajarin concurs with the UBS report, believing around 2 million more iPhones were sold in China than in the U.S. during the quarter. With the upcoming launch of the Apple Watch, he also believes it's just the beginning of the country's fiscal dominance over Apple sales.

“It’s already been a good year, building up to the climax of this quarter,” said Bajarin, referring to Apple’s momentum in the world’s largest smartphone market. “It leads to a lot more optimism for China . . . Their potential headroom in China is higher than it is here [in the US].

They will likely do more in China than US from here on out,” he said. “It certainly shows how important the China market is to Apple’s upside.”

Apple has been emphasizing the importance of China for the company for some time, most recently meeting with the Chinese government to discuss data privacy and security, partnering with popular mobile payment service Alipay, and planning multiple Apple Store openings like the one in Chongqing opening this week.

On the distribution front, 2014 most notably saw a partnership between Apple and the world's largest carrier, China Mobile. The partnership allowed iPhones to be sold in 3,000 more cities where Apple previously had very little presence, undoubtedly aiding the Cupertino-based company rising Chinese in recent quarters.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

MH01 Avatar
141 months ago
Reading this headline has me thinking "Finally, something to put Americans in their place!", but is China really that much better? :p

----------

I always wonder... do Asians cherish their devices like many of us Westerners do? Do they appreciate the design, the finesse, the elegance of a well-designed device, or is it just a tool to communicate and consume data?

its a tool to communicate and consume data for most westerners. What your describing is faboys, most normal users do not cherish a device! If anything Asians, are more into tech than your average westerner.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
allpar Avatar
141 months ago
Regardless, none of those profits will benefit the U.S. Economy because the I.R.S. Is better at border patrol here than the I.N.S.

I.R.S.: "Don't let that money that was born in another country come to the U.S. to work for US. keep it in those other countries where it can't do us any good. That is, of course, unless you want to give us another 30% tax on your already taxed self."

The U.S. treats foreign revenue worse than the "Coyotes" treat foreign immigrants.

I just have to point out that the IRS only enforces rules made by Congress, and that Congress has cut their budget yet again.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xionxiox Avatar
141 months ago
Reading this headline has me thinking "Finally, something to put Americans in their place!", but is China really that much better? :p

----------

I always wonder... do Asians cherish their devices like many of us Westerners do? Do they appreciate the design, the finesse, the elegance of a well-designed device, or is it just a tool to communicate and consume data?
This is prob not the best place for social science class.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
141 months ago
Reading this headline has me thinking "Finally, something to put Americans in their place!", but is China really that much better? :p

----------

I always wonder... do Asians cherish their devices like many of us Westerners do? Do they appreciate the design, the finesse, the elegance of a well-designed device, or is it just a tool to communicate and consume data?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jakexb Avatar
141 months ago
If it was just a thing to consume data, they'd buy one of the cheaper Chinese android handsets.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ToroidalZeus Avatar
141 months ago
Regardless, none of those profits will benefit the U.S. Economy because the I.R.S. Is better at border patrol here than the I.N.S.

I.R.S.: "Don't let that money that was born in another country come to the U.S. to work for US. keep it in those other countries where it can't do us any good. That is, of course, unless you want to give us another 30% tax on your already taxed self."

The U.S. treats foreign revenue worse than the "Coyotes" treat foreign immigrants. No wonder the foreign immigrants still cross the border and none of the foreign BILLIONS makes it into this country. (And to think, ONE of the two got an Executive Order -- it wasn't the one that would HELP OUR ECONOMY though.)
It's complicated.

Apples effective tax rate because of all their tax dodging may be as low as 10%. In fairness a very successful corporation should have a tax rate above 40% (which is the highest income bracket) If Apple paid a "fairshare" of their taxes CA would have millions extra to invest into cash strapped systems like public education, The University of California.

On the flip-side it's been shown time and again that govt are incredibly wasteful. So I don't really blame corporations for not wanting to pay taxes.

In the end we the people suffer.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...