According to the research firm Counterpoint Research, the latest Apple iPhone 17 lineup is off to a promising start. The standard iPhone 17 has nearly doubled sales in China compared to the iPhone 16 during the first ten days after its launch.
In both the United States and China combined, sales of the iPhone 17 series were about 14 % higher than the iPhone 16 series over the same early period.
Why this matters
- In China, the base model of iPhone 17 drove the growth. As Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang put it: «A better chip, improved display, higher base storage, selfie camera upgrade — all for the same price as last year’s iPhone 16.»
- For example, if the iPhone 16 sold 100K units in those ten days in China, the iPhone 17 base model would have approached about 200,000 units (nearly double).
- In the U.S., the high-end models (like the Pro/Pro Max) also saw strong demand, helped by carrier subsidies and upgrade cycles.
Launch and market context
- Apple officially launched the iPhone 17 series in September 2025 worldwide.
- At the same time, China’s smartphone market was on the decline — yet Apple’s shipments grew ~0.6 % in Q3 thanks largely to the value-oriented iPhone 17 base model.
What it could mean
- The fact that a standard model (not just premium) is showing strong growth suggests Apple may be responding to price-sensitive markets.
- The strong initial sales could support Apple’s market share and give the company momentum going into the holiday season.
- However, analysts note that even if units rise, profit margins may be under pressure if more consumers choose the cheaper models rather than premium ones.
