Apple Leads China’s Smartphone Market With 33% Share on iPhone 18 Pro Sales

“iPhone 18 Pro” and “iPhone 18 Pro Max” have posted strong sales results in China. In the week the new models went on sale, “Apple” became the country’s top-selling smartphone brand. “Counterpoint Research” attributes this to 3 main factors: the delayed launch of the standard model, rising prices for premium smartphones, and aggressive sales campaigns.

Against a backdrop of rising consumer spending, overall sales of new smartphones in China have fallen 17% since July compared with the same period last year. However, the “iPhone 18 Pro” series has reversed this negative trend. In the first 3 days of sales, the Pro models performed 12% better than previous “iPhone” sales. As a result, “Apple” became the sales leader in week 38 with a 33% market share.

The first reason for the success is the later launch of the standard “iPhone 18” model. With the Pro versions going on sale considerably earlier, some buyers opted for the more expensive model rather than waiting. Another reason is the overall increase in prices for premium smartphones. Because “Apple” is absorbing part of the component costs, the “iPhone 18 Pro” appears more affordable compared with its competitors.

The 3rd factor is the extensive advertising and sales campaigns that retailers and mobile operators have run for the “iPhone 18 Pro.” “Counterpoint Research” describes this as strong support for sales channels. The campaigns have helped the new models reach more buyers. As a result, these 3 factors have made “Apple” the sales leader in China’s weakening smartphone market.