Apple’s iPhone 17 sales are exceeding expectations in China and US
There were queues on launch at Apple’s Chinese retail stores.
Apple’s latest crop of iPhones are flying off the shelves everywhere. Apple stock is surging as a result.
The surge follows a report from Counterpoint Research, which confirms how well the device is doing in China. The analysts claim the iPhone 17 series have outsold the iPhone 16 series by 14% in its first 10 days of availability in China and the US.
These claims have also been confirmed by IDC analyst, Francisco Jeronimo, who told the FT. “Clearly it’s a very strong quarter for Apple. I don’t remember the last time I saw queues outside the Apple store like I’ve seen this year.”
Apple has also achieved regulatory approval to sell its new eSIM-only iPhone Air in China. This sold out within minutes of it going being made available for pre-order in Apple’s second-largest market.
China is hot for Apple
Chinese consumers have warmed up to the base model, nearly doubling unit sales for the iPhone 17 compared to the iPhone 16, while in the US the Pro Max model is experiencing the strongest demand. The news follows similar claims from Omdia last week, which claimed the iPhone 17 has already exceeded expectations.
Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang said:
“A better chip, improved display, higher base storage, selfie camera upgrade – all for the same price as last year’s iPhone 16. Buying this device is a no brainer, especially when you throw channel discounts and coupons into the mix. Simply put, it provides extremely good value-for-money, and Chinese consumers are rewarding Apple for that.”
Apple gains eSIM approval in China
Preorders for the iPhone Air in China began last week. The delay was required pending China giving approval for eSIM services. Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang said:
“A better chip, improved display, higher base storage, selfie camera upgrade – all for the same price as last year’s iPhone 16. Buying this device is a no brainer, especially when you throw channel discounts and coupons into the mix. Simply put, it provides extremely good value-for-money, and Chinese consumers are rewarding Apple for that.”
With China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom now supporting eSIM, Apple has won a strategic edge in pushing slimmer, more advanced smartphones. This matters, as the company is expected to introduce a foldable iPhone next year.
It also matters as the company is thought to be on the cusp of introducing superpowered Apple Intelligence services, notably a contextually aware version of Siri, next year, potentially at WWDC.
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