China Smartphone Market off to Strong Q4 on Stellar iPhone Sales
- China’s smartphone sell-out for the first two weeks of October* grew 11% YoY.
- Apple was the big driver, growing 29% YoY as Chinese consumers gave the iPhone 17 series a big thumbs up.
- Xiaomi also enjoyed strong growth on the back of its early launch of 17 Pro and Pro Max models.
Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – October 30, 2025
China’s smartphone market is off to a strong start in Q4 2025, with sell-out growth of 11% YoY in the first two weeks of October*, according to Counterpoint Research’s China Weekly Smartphone Sell-Out Tracker.
All three variants – Base, Pro and Pro Max – are performing extremely well, with overall sell-out up 40% in the first two weeks of October*. Value for money, upgrade cycles and a compressed holiday and shopping period (Mid-Autumn festival coincided with Golden Week this year) have contributed to Apple’s outperformance.
“The iPhone 17 series is a great product, but there are also a lot of moving parts working in Apple’s favor, including a Mid-Autumn festival pushed back into October, an 11.11 sales period pushed forward, and COVID upgrade cycles hitting,” observed Senior Analyst Ivan Lam.
Xiaomi’s sell-out also saw big gains during the two weeks, growing 21% YoY, supported by the early launch of the Xiaomi 17 series devices. “Xiaomi’s new phones with their bold rear display and big batteries are striking the right chord with Chinese consumers,” noted Lam. “But the early launch timing relative to competitors was also a factor and caught other Chinese OEMs off guard.”
*The first two weeks of October here span September 29–October 12 for 2025 and September 30–October 13 for 2024.
About Counterpoint Research
Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.
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Author
Ivan Lam
Ivan is a Senior Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, based in Hong Kong. He has more than 15 years of experience, with a major focus on mobile and network devices. He has spent years in Southeast Asia markets working in business development, brand management, and channel management. In addition to his expertise in Southeast Asia, he is also well connected with the ODM and OEM sectors. Prior to joining Counterpoint Research, Ivan served at TCL Communication, KaiOS Technologies Inc., and Wiko Mobile, mainly leading business development, go-to-market strategy, and strategic planning. Ivan holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Mengmeng Zhang
Mengmeng Zhang is a Senior Research Analyst who is tracking Mobile and Telecom at Counterpoint Research.