Apple rebounds in China with iPhone 17 pushing sales up 22%: Report

Apple’s latest iPhone 17 lineup has delivered a strong early boost in China, with sales rising 22% in the first month after launch compared with the same period a year earlier, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.

Turnaround from last year’s weak start

The performance marks a sharp turnaround for Apple in the world’s largest smartphone market. During the first month following the iPhone 16 release in September 2024, sales had fallen by 5%. This year’s jump suggests that Chinese consumers remain receptive to Apple’s newest devices, even as pressure from local rivals intensifies.

Majority of sales driven by the iPhone 17 series

Counterpoint’s figures show that the iPhone 17 models dominated Apple’s performance, accounting for nearly four out of every five units sold since the series reached stores on 19 September. The launch attracted sizeable crowds at Apple’s Beijing flagship, where hundreds queued to buy the phones on release day. Analysts say this indicates continued loyalty to the brand despite increasingly aggressive competition from Xiaomi and Huawei.

Overall market conditions in China remain challenging. Counterpoint noted that national smartphone sales fell 2.7% year on year in the third quarter as consumer spending stayed restrained. Apple’s latest surge, therefore, comes against a backdrop of muted demand and suggests that the iPhone 17 series has provided much-needed momentum for the company in a slowing market.

iPhone 17 Specifications

The iPhone 17 features contoured edges, slimmer borders and a front protected by Ceramic Shield 2. It includes a 15.93 cm (6.3 inch) Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion that adjusts up to 120 Hz.

The device carries a 48 MP Fusion Main camera with a 2x optical-quality telephoto option and a 48 MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera that offers four times the resolution of the previous Ultra Wide unit, with 24 MP Ultra Wide photos set as the default. Storage begins at 256 GB. The phone runs on the A19 chip, which supports functions such as Apple Intelligence tools, Live Translation and Image Playground, while also enabling advanced gaming performance. Battery life lasts through the day, and a brief 10-minute charge using a high-wattage adapter can provide up to eight hours of video playback.

(With inputs from Reuters)