Though the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max demand in the US may have been a bit of a disappointment, the new phones seem to be a giant hit in China. Early reports claim that the two phones are breaking the records set by the iPhone 17 Pro last year in the second-largest smartphone market on the planet.
iPhone 18 Pro is big in China
Apple appears to be enjoying another major success in China. The company has reportedly recorded over 7 million preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro models in the country, according to local media reports (translated source) and tipster Ice Universe on X.
One retailer reports that the overall sales revenue from the new phones over the first three days of preorders was double from what the iPhone 17 Pro achieved over the same period last year. Several other retailers said that the iPhone 18 Pro sold out in less than a minute after preorders opened on September 12.
These numbers are setting records for Apple in China, and are in a stark contrast with the early reports from the US. Both models saw their US shipping dates sliding by only a couple of weeks, even a few days after preorders started, signaling a potentially lower demand.
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The burgundy iPhone 18 Pro is a hit
Chinese consumers seem to prefer the smaller iPhone 18 Pro. | Image by Apple
Unlike previous years, this time the iPhone 18 Pro appears to be the more popular model. About 60% of the preorders were for the smaller model, due to its lighter body and better feel in the hand.
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The new burgundy color has also been a hit, similar to the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, which became viral in China. This time around, the reason is not only the color itself, but also a wordplay with the name of the color and words of prosperity in Chinese.
Due to the price increases, most users seem to choose the base version with 256GB storage, which has been described as “a more rational choice.” The price bump is also expected to negatively affect the overall price, despite the early excitement.
At least among users on social media, the true color dilemma appears to be between the glacier and burgundy versions of the 18 Pro. However, some users on Reddit are also excited about the black version, which was missing on last year’s model, and others plan to get a silver iPhone as the least popular option.
Some redditors have interesting ways to chose the color of their new phone. | Image by Reddit (screenoshot
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
Even if these early reports seem like good news for Apple, they may not be representative of how the overall sales will go. The smartphone market is expected to go down 12% this year, which is very likely to impact the whole industry.
On the other hand, the drop is mostly driven by the disappearance of the budget smartphones due to the ongoing memory price crisis. I wouldn’t be surprised if this doesn’t have such a big impact on Apple’s sales and the iPhone 18 Pro stays on top of the charts for at least one more quarter.
Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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