Apple’s new iPhones are selling well in China, with a 20% increase in sales during the first three weeks after their launch compared to last year’s model. This news comes from a research company called Counterpoint.
The iPhone 16 was released on September 20, the same day as new phones from Huawei, showing the tough competition in China’s large smartphone market. Recently, Apple has been losing ground to local brands like Huawei.
Sales data shows that the iPhone 16 is doing better than the previous model. Many buyers are choosing the more expensive options, with sales of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max rising by 44% compared to last year. Counterpoint reported that there is strong interest in the iPhone 16 series in China.
However, overall iPhone sales in China dropped by 2% compared to last year during this period. This decline is due to lower sales of older models and strong competition from Huawei’s new Mate and Pura phones.
Apple’s stock prices recently hit an all-time high because of excitement about the new AI features in the iPhones. Still, some analysts were worried that the iPhone 16 might not do well in China because Apple doesn’t have a local partner for its AI features. Since China has rules against foreign AI models, Apple may need to team up with a local company like Baidu to succeed in this market.
According to Wedbush’s research note, Apple’s iPhone sales in China are expected to recover strongly next year thanks to an “AI-driven super cycle” starting with the iPhone 16. Analysts believe that about 300 million iPhones worldwide haven’t been upgraded in over four years, with around 100 million in China alone that are due for an upgrade by 2025. Overall, Wedbush predicts that Apple could sell over 240 million iPhones in the fiscal year 2025 as this upgrade cycle gains momentum.
