iPhone Shipments See Major Surge in China

Shipments of foreign branded mobile phones in China experienced a remarkable rise in November, expanding at a pace far above the broader market, Reuters is reporting.

According to data released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, overseas smartphone brands registered a year on year increase in shipments that more than doubled compared to last year.

The data also shows that Apple’s latest iPhone models reached nearly seven million units shipped in November. This represented a surge of 128.4% compared with the same month in the previous year, a stark contrast to the more modest growth in the overall market.

The CAICT data further reveals that China’s total mobile phone shipments rose to just over thirty million units, an increase of just under 2% on a year ago, indicating that the foreign segment outpaced the market by a significant margin. Analysts say this jump for foreign phones likely reflects a combination of factors including the strong appeal of recently launched devices and consumer enthusiasm for premium smartphones.

The iPhone 17 series launched in September drew substantial attention from buyers in China, with strong pre orders and robust sales on major online and offline retail channels. Many buyers appear to be trading up to high end devices as economic confidence returns and promotional offers draw interest.

While foreign brands recorded sharp shipment growth in November, the larger Chinese smartphone market still shows the continued dominance of domestic manufacturers. Local brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, vivo and Oppo have carved out strong positions throughout 2025, frequently reporting year on year increases in shipments.

Earlier in 2025, reports indicated that foreign phone shipments in China had fallen sharply, with dramatic declines in shipment volumes as domestic competition intensified and local brands expanded their market influence.