Apple leads China smartphone sales after launch of iPhone 18 Pro. Can the momentum last?

Apple has claimed the top spot in China’s smartphone market following the release of its iPhone 18 Pro series, giving a potential boost to a sluggish handset market weighed down by weak consumer demand and soaring component costs.

Sales of the new Pro models in their first three days after launching on September 18 were 12 per cent higher than sales of the iPhone 17 Pro line-up during its entire first week last year, according to a report published on Wednesday by Counterpoint Research.

That strong start catapulted Apple to the No 1 position by smartphone sales for the week of September 14 to 20, with the company capturing 33 per cent of the market.

“The delayed launch of the base iPhone 18 may have driven some consumers to trade up to the Pro series,” said Ivan Lam, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research. “Price hikes of over US$200 on many Chinese flagship models may have raised the price anchor, strengthening the iPhone’s relative value proposition.”