BEIJING (Reuters) – Apple Inc’s new iPhones got off to a strong start in China, with sales rising 20% in the first three weeks since their launch compared with the 2023 model, according to data from research firm Counterpoint.
Both Apple and Huawei’s latest smartphones went on sale in China on September 20, underscoring increasing competition in the world’s largest smartphone market, where the US company has lost market share to domestic rivals in recent quarters.
“We are seeing strong sales of the iPhone 16 series in China,” Counterpoint said, adding that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models did particularly well, with their combined sales up 44% compared to their equivalent 2023 versions.
However, overall iPhone unit sales in China fell 2% year-on-year over the three-week period due to reduced sales of older models and increased competition with Huawei’s Mate and Pura series.
(Reporting by Yelin Mo and Miyoung Kim; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
