China Still Key for Apple After Driving Early iPhone 18 Pro Sales — Market Talk

What happened

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series worldwide sales rose 3.1% in the first three weeks versus the iPhone 17 Pro lineup a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research. China drove most of the gain, with sales there up 29%, while demand softened in the U.S. and Japan.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

China is shaping whether Apple sustains momentum for its premium iPhones. A 29% jump there offset softer U.S. and Japan demand, so Apple's revenue from high-priced handsets depends heavily on Chinese buyers continuing to upgrade rather than delaying purchases.

Analyst inference

Better product availability and higher-priced Android rivals helped China sales, while India grew on the lower-priced Pro model. Higher prices deterred U.S. and Japan customers from upgrading, leaving Apple reliant on China and India to offset weakness in those developed markets.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. Watch whether China's 29% sales jump persists in coming weeks, which would signal lasting demand rather than purchases pulled forward from later in the upgrade cycle and support Apple's premium iPhone revenue. Analyst inference
2. Counterpoint Research suggests the coming weeks will reveal whether China's strength reflects durable demand or buyers simply moving purchases earlier. That distinction matters for judging whether Apple's momentum can continue. Proposed
3. India delivered solid growth, particularly for the lower-priced Pro model, while U.S. and Japan demand softened as higher prices deterred upgrades. Watch whether India can help offset continued weakness in those two markets. Confirmed

Evidence

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