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

Apple has secured the top spot in China's smartphone market following the launch of its iPhone 18 Pro series, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. Sales of the new Pro models surged by 12 percent during their first three days of availability on September 18, surpassing the sales of the iPhone 17 Pro line-up during its entire first week in 2022.

This strong performance propelled Apple to claim a 33 percent market share, marking the company's highest position in the week of September 14 to 20. Counterpoint Research's analyst Ivan Lam attributes Apple's success to the delayed launch of the base iPhone 18 model, which encouraged some consumers to upgrade to the Pro series.

Additionally, price hikes of over $200 on many Chinese flagship devices may have enhanced the iPhone's value proposition. As domestic competitors such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and others unveil their flagship devices ahead of the National Day holiday, Apple stands to benefit further from the debut of its first foldable handset, the iPhone Duo, slated for release on October 23.

UBS predicts a 15.4 percent year-on-year increase in Apple's global iPhone shipments, reaching 261 million units, despite the industry grappling with memory chip shortages due to growing demand for AI infrastructure. China's smartphone sales have contracted by double digits year-on-year since July, primarily driven by subdued consumer spending and elevated chip costs.

The memory shortage is expected to further dampen global smartphone shipments, with IDC forecasting a 16.7 percent decline this year, marking the steepest annual drop on record.