Apple’s new iPhone 17 series has made a remarkable debut in China, with pre-orders quickly surpassing those of the iPhone 16 from the previous year. According to the South China Morning Post, sales on JD.com, one of China’s largest e-commerce platforms, exceeded the total first-day sales of the iPhone 16 lineup in less than a minute. The surge in demand was so significant that Apple’s official website faced temporary outages, and some customers experienced payment delays of up to five minutes before their orders were processed. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has become the standout model, quickly gaining traction as the most sought-after version of the series.
In Shanghai, all in-store pickup slots were filled within 20 minutes of the start of pre-orders. In Guangzhou, delivery dates are already being pushed back to mid-October, demonstrating the flagship device’s exceptional popularity. The standard iPhone 17 is also seeing strong demand, with the 256GB variant emerging as a preferred choice among Chinese customers for its balance of storage and price. Industry experts attribute Apple’s early success to its effective product segmentation. Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC, noted that Apple has skillfully tailored its lineup to meet various user needs. This strategy ensures that while the Pro Max garners attention, the base iPhone 17 and other models contribute to overall sales growth.
However, one model notably missing from the initial launch is the iPhone Air, Apple’s ultra-thin, eSIM-only version, which is awaiting regulatory approval to launch in China. Major telecom companies, including China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom, are prepared to support eSIM functionality, but Apple requires final clearance for rollout. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo observed on X that the iPhone 17 series is off to a stronger start than the iPhone 16, with Apple increasing production plans for the Pro Max, Pro, and standard iPhone 17 models by approximately 25 percent compared to last year. Despite this increase, delivery times have only been extended by about a week, which indicates strong demand.
Kuo mentioned that while interest in the iPhone Air seems to be lower compared to the iPhone 16 Plus, Apple has tripled its production plans for the Air this quarter. He believes that true demand insights will emerge once sell-through data is available in the upcoming weeks. Market research firm TrendForce forecasts that shipments of the iPhone 17 series will be around 3.5 percent higher than last year’s models, with analysts highlighting that Pro models, particularly the Pro Max, will be crucial for driving Apple’s global sales momentum. This early success could provide Apple with a significant advantage in its third-quarter earnings, while investor attention is beginning to shift towards the anticipated changes in Apple’s 2026 product cycle.
