Apple iPhone 18 Pro Series Global Sales Up 3.1% in First Three Weeks, China Jumps 29%

Global sales of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max rose 3.1% in the first three weeks after launch compared with the year-earlier iPhone 17 Pro series, according to Counterpoint's weekly smartphone sales tracker. China drove the growth with a 29% increase, supported by better initial supply than last year and price hikes on flagship Android models there. Excluding China, global growth would weaken markedly. U.S. and Japan sales both fell year over year, pressured by higher prices than the prior generation. U.S. consumers cited limited upgrade incentive, saying new features and design were not compelling enough, while currency effects amplified price increases in Japan and dampened demand. The Pro Max accounted for 56% of Pro-series sales, down from 57% last year. Its lower share reflects the higher price point and new demand in India and Southeast Asia skewing toward the standard Pro model.