Apple's share of the Chinese smartphone market surged in October, growing an impressive 37 percent year-over-year, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research. That growth was the primary driver for an 8 percent overall increase in the country's smartphone sales for the month.
The report says the iPhone 17 lineup continues to deliver strong results, with all three models seeing double-digit growth compared to their predecessors. The base model iPhone 17 saw the fastest growth, building on momentum from an earlier report which found the new lineup was already outpacing the iPhone 16.
Apple's performance marks its best-ever start to a December quarter in the country, surpassing its previous peak in October 2021. The company now accounts for one out of every four smartphones sold in China, a milestone it has only reached once before.
The report notes that momentum continues to be with Apple heading into November, putting the company on track to hit its forecast for what CEO Tim Cook recently said would be its "best ever" holiday quarter. Counterpoint notes that while there is some risk from the expected launch of Huawei's Mate 80 series later this month, Apple's strong momentum shows no signs of a steep drop-off.