iPhone 17 Shatters Records in China!

The buzz around Apple's new iPhone 17 is palpable in China, where pre-order sales have shattered previous benchmarks, showcasing an insatiable demand despite some delays with the iPhone Air.

In just the first minute after pre-orders went live at 8 PM on Friday, JD.com—one of China’s leading online shopping platforms—reported that sales surpassed those of last year’s iPhone 16 series. The standard 256GB iPhone 17 emerged as the hottest item on the list!

Shipping Delays Add to the Frenzy

Interestingly, these impressive numbers do not include the iPhone Air, Apple's thinnest model to date, which has hit a snag as the company navigates regulatory issues with Chinese authorities concerning the use of embedded SIM technology.

Customers eager to snag the latest model faced challenges accessing the pre-order site, with many reporting lengthy wait times just to finalize their purchases, as reported by Chinese media outlet The Paper.

Swift Sales and High Demand!

One fortunate buyer managed to secure delivery for September 19, the official launch date, but experienced a five-minute delay in payment processing. In Shanghai, all time slots for picking up the iPhone 17 Pro Max in-store were fully booked within just 20 minutes!

As of Saturday morning, eager customers in Guangzhou were looking at a wait time stretching all the way to October 15, according to Apple’s website.

Apple’s Stronghold Amidst Competition

This surge in demand highlights Apple’s unwavering brand loyalty in China and the magnetic appeal of its latest offerings, even as competition from local giants like Huawei grows fierce.

According to Nabila Popal, a senior research director at IDC, "Apple has effectively tailored its product lineup to cater to various user preferences, creating a strong ripple effect of new purchases for the brand."

Predictions Pointing Upwards!

Consultancy TrendForce anticipates that global shipments of the iPhone 17 series will outpace last year’s iPhone 16 by 3.5%. The Pro models are forecasted to be the main contributors to this sales boost.

Moreover, the iPhone Air, which replaces the Plus model this year, is poised for stellar sales, with IDC estimating it might account for over 5 to 7 percent of Apple’s global shipments.

Caution Ahead for Apple?

However, competition remains fierce, especially from Huawei, which has its sights set on Apple’s high-end market share. Analyst Ivan Lam from Counterpoint Research believes that iPhone sales in China may struggle during the second half of 2025, amid subdued consumer spending and lukewarm interest in the iPhone 17.

The competition is heating up, with Huawei unveiling its second-generation trifold smartphone just days before the iPhone 17’s launch, while Xiaomi moved the release of its Xiaomi 16 forward to late September.