Full Breakdown
iPhone 18 Pro Propels Apple to Top Spot in China’s Smartphone Market
By Drooid · · How we work
Launch-Week Surge
During the launch week for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple emerged as the best-selling smartphone brand in China. Counterpoint Research reports that the two premium models recorded a 12 % year-on-year increase in sales compared with the previous iPhone generation, lifting Apple to a 33 % share of the Chinese smartphone market for that week.
Market Conditions and Drivers
The surge occurred against a backdrop of a 17 % year-on-year decline in overall new-smartphone sales in China since July, according to Counterpoint’s China Weekly Smartphone Sell-Out Tracker. Counterpoint attributes the iPhone 18 Pro’s strong performance to three factors:
1. Delayed launch of the base iPhone 18 – With the standard model arriving later, consumers opted for the available premium versions.
2. Higher willingness to pay – Rising prices across premium smartphones have made Chinese buyers more accepting of elevated price points, and Apple’s absorption of some component-cost increases improved the perceived value of the Pro models.
3. Aggressive channel support – Heavy advertising and retailer-carrier promotions boosted visibility and purchase incentives.
Quantitative Snapshot
Implications for Apple and Competitors
Apple’s ability to capture a third of the market despite a broader sales slump underscores the resilience of the premium segment in China. Competitors may need to reassess pricing, product-release timing, and promotional strategies to counter Apple’s momentum. The trend also suggests that strong channel partnerships can offset macro-level demand weakness.
Outlook
Counterpoint Research notes that the current data cover only the initial launch period. Continued monitoring will reveal whether the iPhone 18 Pro’s performance sustains its market-share gains in the weeks ahead.