The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have received a warm reception in China, with first-week sales actually outperforming the iPhone 17 Pro series from the same period last year.
According to Counterpoint Research, rising component costs for RAM and storage caused overall new phone sales in China to drop 17% year-over-year since July 2026.
A Surprising Reversal
However, Counterpoint reports this trend briefly reversed when Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro. Sales of the iPhone 18 Pro in China rose 12% within the first three days after launch, compared to iPhone 17 Pro sales during its first week on sale last year.
“This strong early performance helped Apple claim the top sales position in week 38, with a 33% market share in China’s smartphone market,” Counterpoint wrote in its report, as cited by 9to5Mac on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Three Reasons Behind the Surge
Counterpoint points to three factors behind the immediate popularity surge for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in China.
First, aggressive promotional campaigns from retail stores and carriers helped drive early sales momentum.
Second, the delayed launch of the standard iPhone 18 played a role. Since Apple released the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max significantly earlier than the standard model, some consumers may have opted to go straight for the premium version rather than waiting longer.
Third, price increases across the entire premium phone segment have made consumers more willing to pay more than they previously would have. Apple absorbed part of the rising component costs itself, meaning the iPhone 18 Pro ended up offering relatively better value compared to competing premium phones.
Pricing in China
Just like in the United States, iPhone 18 Pro series pricing in China also increased. The 256GB and 512GB storage models saw price increases of 1,000 yuan, roughly Rp 2.6 million, while the 1TB and 2TB variants rose by 2,500 yuan and 3,500 yuan respectively.
The Full Sales Numbers
In a separate report, blogger RD Observation noted that Apple sold approximately 1.3 million units of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max during their first week of availability in China.
This figure represents a 15% increase compared to iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max sales during their own first week last year, notable given that both Pro models also had to compete against the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone Air for consumer attention.
Apple’s ability to grow Pro-model sales even as China’s broader smartphone market contracted 17% suggests the brand’s premium segment remains remarkably resilient to the component cost pressures squeezing the rest of the industry. If anything, raising prices and leaning into the Pro lineup’s early availability advantage appears to have worked in Apple’s favor rather than against it, a strategy other manufacturers facing the same rising costs may be watching closely.
