iPhone 11 Popularity Earns Apple Double-Digit Growth in China

Apple saw a significant jump in smartphone shipments in China last month thanks in part to the popularity of the iPhone 11, according to Bloomberg.

iphone 11 and 11 pro no background

The iPhone maker’s shipments in China grew 18.7% year on year in December to roughly 3.18 million units, according to Bloomberg calculations based on government data on overall and Android device shipments. The increase marked an acceleration from the prior months, which were buoyed by the iPhone 11’s release in September. The numbers come from the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology, a government think tank.

Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 11 and ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro brought significant improvements in battery life and camera quality over previous models, and have been well received by consumers and critics in China.

Apple's business last year in the country was strengthened in other ways, too. The company benefited from a sales tax cut that allowed it to decrease the price of its products, while investors took comfort in what Apple CEO Tim Cook called a "much better tone" in the China-U.S. trade relationship.

Looking ahead, the double-digit growth in shipments bodes well for Apple in the buildup to the Chinese New Year, which falls in late January this year.

However, the company still has some work to do if it is to put a significant dent in the market share of local vendors led by Huawei, which gained a dominant position domestically last year, despite its struggles abroad.

Tag: China
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
macbook air blue

Gurman: M4 MacBook Air Models to Launch by March 'At the Latest'

Monday February 17, 2025 2:30 am PST by
Apple will begin selling new MacBook Air models featuring its latest M4 chip by March "at the latest," mirroring the time frame of the M3 MacBook Air launch last year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple last updated the MacBook Air line in March 2024. Gurman's comments appeared in his latest Power On newsletter, suggesting the reporter is no further forward on learning the exact...
iPhone 17 Air Front Page Tech 2

'iPhone 17 Air' With Ultra-Thin Design Allegedly Revealed in New Video

Monday February 17, 2025 6:53 pm PST by
YouTube channel Front Page Tech today revealed the alleged design of Apple's widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model, set to launch later this year. "iPhone 17 Air" render created by @zellzoi for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech shared renders depicting what it believes is likely the final design of the "iPhone 17 Air." The device is expected to feature an ultra-thin...

Top Rated Comments

djcerla Avatar
67 months ago

The growth is related only to the shipment. Not impressive!
Yeah they probably shipped more just to burn them for warmth. It’s a cold winter in China.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justanotherfanboy Avatar
67 months ago

The growth is related only to the shipment. Not impressive!
https://www.coursehero.com/file/11855122/Apple-JIT/

Educate yourself!!! =)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Harmonious Zen Avatar
67 months ago

Double digit could be anything from 10% to 99%. It’s amusing to state factual accurate information.
The article specifically states 18%...

While Chinese people probably prefer their own phones, much of the reason these days is because the budget phones are SO good that there’s really no reason for most people to splurge for an iPhone, especially considering people in China live in WeChat. Restrict Huawei and Oppo to only making >$600 phones and then see how much people like homegrown phones. :)

And on top of all that Apple is not trying to go budget anyway. They’re always going to primarily shoot to occupy the premium segment. These days they’re also trying to reach a little bit lower, but they’ll never compete with 3-400 dollar Huawei or Oppo phones, nor should they.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
riverrun46 Avatar
67 months ago

Good for Apple, but the Communist Party of China’s will always prefer its own vendors. Hard for me to envision a particularly large “dent.”
Huawei grew like 50% in China market this year, mostly because of its extremely successful marketing strategy instead of political reasons. Not only Apple, other China vendors like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo also suffered from a painful decline this year, like 30% or even more. They were desperately seeking growth overseas because of Huawei's domestic dominance.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
67 months ago
It's good to see the Chinese people recognise that iPhone 11 Pro is the best smartphone on the market. Apple deserves this success.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sundog925 Avatar
67 months ago
I can see this.

I used to poo-poo the XR before I bought an 11, (mostly because I thought I would miss TouchID) and wow, blown away at how I just love the phone.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)