The hype around the iPhone 17 is real.
Apple’s latest lineup is outpacing its predecessor in both the US and China, two key markets for iPhone sales, according to new data from market research firm Counterpoint Research. iPhone 17 sales outsold the iPhone 16 series by 14% during the first 10 days of availability.
In the US, the iPhone 17 Pro Max — the most expensive iPhone model — saw the strongest demand in the lineup through the first two weekends of availability. The research firm credited the growth to COVID-era shoppers upgrading their devices.
Counterpoint Research said Monday that the popularity of the Pro Max model comes as top phone carriers T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T shifted their strategies to focus on customers looking for all of the bells and whistles.
“The emphasis on Pro Max offers has made the ultra-premium Apple device more accessible to customers, bolstering premiumization trends and strengthening high-value customer ties to the Apple ecosystem,” Counterpoint analyst Maurice Klaehne said in a statement.
Early data on Apple’s newest and thinnest model, the iPhone Air, looks promising the US as well. The phone is selling better in its first two weeks than last year’s iPhone 16 Plus, which didn’t get an upgrade in 2025.
In China, the Air faced delays over issues with its e-SIM card and became available for preorder in the country on October 17. Its official release date is Wednesday, according to Apple’s website. The iPhone Air will “likely remain niche initially” because it’s more expensive than the base model, Counterpoint’s Ivan Lam said.
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The iPhone 17 has been selling well across the US and China, with unit sales nearly doubling that of the iPhone 16 sales, according to Counterpoint. The iPhone 17 was a “major driver” of the sales growth, with sell-out data up 31% year over year in the US and China, Counterpoint said.
“Simply put, it provides extremely good value-for-money,” analyst Mengmeng Zhang said.
The strong iPhone performance is a boost Apple needs, as both regions make up the bulk of iPhone sales globally.
