How iPhones Made a Surprising Comeback in China

After a prolonged slump, Apple’s business is suddenly thriving again in China. The tech giant said in its latest earnings report last week that revenue from the country rose 38 percent year over year in the last quarter, primarily driven by surging demand for iPhones. The rebound came after Apple’s China sales had declined for 18 consecutive months between 2024 and early 2025.

In a call with analysts, CEO Tim Cook said Apple set a new record for iPhone upgrades among Chinese customers and saw double-digit growth in the number of users switching from other operating systems to iOS. “Overall, a great quarter in China. We could not be happier with it,” Cook concluded in his signature monotone voice.

Apple’s fantastic performance came as a surprise to many observers of the Chinese smartphone market. In recent years, homegrown brands like Huawei and Xiaomi have chipped away at ...