iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series launch has yielded mixed results during its first three weeks on the market. While global sales grew by 3.1% compared to last year, the company faced significant headwinds in the United States and Japan.

• China saw a 29% increase in sales, becoming the primary driver for the launch performance.
• U.S. sales declined by 4%, while Japan experienced a 27% drop, partly due to currency fluctuations.
• Apple increased starting prices by $100 in the U.S., setting the Pro at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299.
• U.S. consumers expressed concerns over insufficient design and feature changes despite new camera technology.

Market Divergence Counterpoint Research attributes the growth in China to better initial device availability and the rising cost of competing Android flagship smartphones. Conversely, in the U.S., the introduction of a variable aperture camera was not enough to satisfy users who felt the overall changes to the handset were minimal compared to the previous iteration.

Pricing and Consumer Preference The $100 price hike in the U.S. significantly influenced buyer sentiment. Interestingly, the market share for the Pro Max model decreased slightly from 57% to 56%. Emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia are increasingly favoring the more compact Pro model over the larger variant.

The Impact of New Hardware The current tracking period predates the launch of the iPhone Duo, which hit shelves on October 23. Analysts are now closely monitoring whether the company's first foldable iPhone will expand the overall user base or cannibalize sales from the Pro Max model, shifting the current sales balance.