iPhone 17 Wind in the Chinese Smartphone Market!

The Chinese smartphone market showed an annual growth of 8% in October, with Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) holding 25% of total sales. The iPhone 17 series continues to maintain strong performance.

According to preliminary data from Counterpoint Research's Monthly Smartphone Sales Tracking report, Apple's smartphone sales in China increased by 37% compared to the same period last year.

All iPhone 17 variants experienced medium to high double-digit growth rates compared to the iPhone 16 series. The base model exhibited the strongest performance.

According to Senior Analyst Ivan Lam from Counterpoint Research, "The iPhone 17 series continues to provide value for Apple; the base and Pro models are growing the fastest." He added, "With the new iPhone models accounting for over 80% of sales, we expect growth to accelerate further due to the upward impact of rising average selling prices (ASP)."

This situation represents the best start for Apple in a December quarter and indicates that total sales significantly surpassed the previous peak in October 2021. Having one in every four smartphones sold in China being an iPhone was a milestone only reached in 2022.

Chinese manufacturers are also showing strong performance. Xiaomi regained the second position in the Chinese market after ten years by leveraging the early launch of the Ximi 17 series and the Autumn Festival sales period.

OPPO became the second-largest contributor to growth in the local smartphone market with its flagship Find X9 series, which offers advanced camera technology and long battery life.

Apple's momentum is expected to continue throughout November, preparing the company for its best December quarter. However, Lam cautioned about the competition risk posed by the upcoming Mate 80 series launch from Huawei, stating, "There’s always a risk, especially with Huawei expected to launch on November 25."