Apple's iPhone 17 leads Singles’ Day smartphone sales in China, Huawei and Xiaomi struggle

Strong demand for Apple’s iPhone played a key role in driving smartphone sales during China’s month-long Singles’ Day shopping festival, according to research firm Counterpoint. The company accounted for 26% of all smartphones sold over the event, helping overall sales rise by 3% compared with the same period last year.

The iPhone 17 was particularly popular, with brisk sales keeping Apple ahead of the competition. However, when Apple is excluded, smartphone sales during the festival actually fell by 5%, highlighting a cautious consumer environment. Counterpoint described the market as “drained of momentum,” reflecting wider economic concerns in China.

Consumer sentiment has been dampened by a prolonged property sector crisis and anxieties over income security, making shoppers increasingly reluctant to spend freely.

Record overall sales, but limited excitement

The 2025 Singles’ Day festival concluded on 11 November after more than a month of promotions on the country’s leading e-commerce platforms. While total sales across all platforms reached 1.70 trillion yuan (approximately $240 billion), up from 1.44 trillion yuan last year, the event failed to generate widespread excitement among shoppers.

Huawei and Xiaomi see declines

Among other smartphone brands, Huawei experienced the sharpest decline, with its market share dropping from 17% to 13%. Its recently launched flagship, the Mate 80, missed the key sales period. Xiaomi held the second-largest share at 17%, but sales also fell compared with last year, partly due to the earlier release of the Xiaomi 17 series.

Despite a subdued overall market, Apple’s dominance during Singles’ Day underscores the brand’s strong appeal even in a restrained economic climate. The newly launched iPhone 17 models, released in September, have proved a major success in both the United States and Apple’s key market, China, delivering double-digit year-on-year sales growth in both regions, Bloomberg reported.

The iPhone 17 series, which includes four models, has encouraged many users to upgrade their devices. The latest addition, the iPhone Air, touted as the world’s thinnest iPhone, has drawn long queues of eager customers hoping to get their hands on the handset.

(With inputs from Reuters)