Apple iPhone 17 sales rise 37% in China

Apple reported a 37% rise in iPhone sales in China in October, according to Counterpoint Research.

iPhones accounted for 25% of all smartphones sold in China that month, reaching this level for the first time since 2022.

Counterpoint said each iPhone 17 model outperformed its iPhone 16 counterpart by a double-digit percentage, with prices ranging from 5,999 yuan (about US$850) to 8,999 yuan.

Apple’s performance contributed to an 8% year-on-year rise in China’s overall smartphone market.

Huawei is expected to launch its Mate 80 series in late November, remaining Apple’s main competitor in China.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Apple’s October surge masks looming subsidy headwinds

Apple’s October sales rose 37% 1 even as China’s 2025 trade-in subsidy (a plan that discounts new buys for old-device hand-ins) caps prices at RMB 6,000, below the iPhone 16 Pro at 7,999 2.
Apple trimmed earlier China declines with cuts that made some iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models subsidy-eligible 3, so the October pop likely leaned on short-term promos.
The subsidy favors Chinese makers with RMB 5,000 to 6,000 models 2, which pulls mid-range, price-sensitive buyers from Apple.
China’s smartphone market fell 4% in Q2 2025 after six growth quarters 3, and rollout stumbles hurt momentum that could blunt Apple’s October gains as rivals get more direct help.

Trade-in and financing companies should target China’s iPhone upgrade cycle

Over 80% of Apple’s China unit sales come from new iPhones 1, fueling trade-ins, refurbishment, and installment financing.
Each iPhone 17 beat its 16 predecessor by double-digit percentages 1, sending more older devices into trade-in channels.
Financial technology (fintech) players with installment plans should team with major e-commerce sites and Apple retailers in China to capture this flow.
Logistics firms focused on reverse supply chains (moving used devices from consumers to refurbishers and resellers) can scale to handle higher trade-in volumes as the iPhone 17 cycle runs through year-end.