Apple Sees Record October in China With Strong iPhone 17 Demand

Apple had a bumper month for iPhone sales in China in October, with sales jumping 37% compared to a year earlier on strong demand for iPhone 17 models, according to data from research firm Counterpoint.

iPhone 17 Colors
One in every four smartphones sold in the country for the month was an iPhone – a market share milestone Apple hasn't achieved since 2022, when there were fewer rivals in the premium segment. The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max reached mid-to-high double-digit percentage growth, led by the standard iPhone 17.

New iPhone models accounted for more than 80% of Apple's unit sales, Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam said. It is the best ever start to a December quarter for Apple, far surpassing its previous peak in October 2021.

"There is always some risk, especially with the much-expected Huawei Mate 80 series launching on November 25," said Lam. "But there's a lot of momentum behind Apple at this point. There is not much tapering to indicate a steep drop off."

China's overall smartphone sell-through grew 8% year-over-year in October, thanks to the performance of Apple's iPhone 17 series as well as that of domestic manufacturers like Xiaomi, which climbed to the number 2 spot for the first time in over a decade.

counterpoint iphone 17 sales october 2025 china
The data paints a rosy picture for Apple in the Chinese market, despite reports of a lukewarm reception for the iPhone Air, which has also performed poorly in other markets.

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Top Rated Comments

13 weeks ago
Due these numbers not ring a bell at Apple? Stop locking features for previous-gen products. Release iPhones with innovative features instead of forced upgrades.

Steve said and applied "Quality first, the money comes after".

Fix your QC and design decisions Apple!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
13 weeks ago
Will Apple finally realize people DO actually care about features like ProMotion and add it to their other overpriced products?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UliBaer Avatar
13 weeks ago
No wonder, finally a regular iPhone not artificially crippled with missing upsell features...
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
13 weeks ago
Well imagine that, Apple released a product that is actually WORTH the money they’re charging and people buy it :rolleyes:…
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
snipr125 Avatar
13 weeks ago
The iPhone 17 is the best premium mid range phone on the market so no surprise it’s doing so well in China.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
13 weeks ago
iPhone 17 has the best price/value ratio of the current lineup of phones.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)