China emerged as the strongest driver of Apple’s latest earnings, delivering the company’s best iPhone quarter ever in the region. Revenue from Greater China rose 38 percent year over year in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, far outpacing Apple’s global growth of 16 percent, according to company earnings.
CEO Tim Cook credited strong consumer demand for the iPhone 17 lineup, citing double-digit growth in retail store traffic and a record installed base across mainland China.
Breaking news: The smartphone giant reported a big rise in sales to a record $144bn for the final quarter of last year with sales in the crucial Chinese market jumping 38% year on year. https://t.co/wQT0wt95El pic.twitter.com/qXojA996T0
— Financial Times (@FT) January 29, 2026
Analysts said the rebound was unexpected, given intense competition from domestic rivals such as Huawei.
Market researcher IDC reported Apple shipped 16 million phones in China during the quarter, capturing a 21 percent market share. Additional price discounts could further lift sales.
Globally, the iPhone remained dominant. Counterpoint Research said Apple models accounted for seven of the world’s top 10 smartphones in 2025.
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TIPP Staff
