Strong Start for iPhone Sales in China This Year

By Jiahui Huang

Apple's iPhone sales in China started the year sharply higher, helped by discounts from online sellers and government subsidies.

iPhone sales in the country in the first nine weeks of the year rose 23% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research.

The surge came amid weakness in the Chinese market, as overall smartphone sales in the same period dropped 4% on year.

The Chinese smartphone industry has been pressured by subdued consumption as well as rising costs for memory chips, Counterpoint said. Some Chinese smartphone makers, such as OPPO and vivo, have raised prices for existing models.

"Apple is unlikely to follow suit, instead absorbing part of the margin pressure and using the situation to potentially expand its market share," Counterpoint said.

Apple's sales in China have been helped by online promotions on various e-commerce platforms.

Also, its base iPhone 17 model qualifies for government subsidies for the purchase of consumer electronics.

Counterpoint expects China's smartphone market to remain under pressure in coming months with some relief in June from promotional activity stemming from the country's mid-year "618" shopping festival.

Write to Jiahui Huang at jiahui.huang@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 19, 2026 02:35 ET (06:35 GMT)