This ends the downward trend in the important sales market that the group has experienced in recent years. Over the past few years, Apple’s sales in China have been steadily declining, following strong increases in 2020 and 2021. Sales in the first fiscal quarter of 2026 (October to December 2025) were now almost at the level of the record year 2022. This is quite significant for Apple, as the country alone is the third largest sales market for the group – after the American continents and Europe.
Sales in the last months of 2025 in the important sales market of China represent a significant trend reversal for Apple.
Weak competition
But it wasn’t the color alone that made customers switch to Apple. Technical achievements in the processor, cameras and battery life contributed significantly to the success. In addition, many customers were dissatisfied with the “Harmony” operating system from competitor Huawei: This company recorded a loss in sales of ten percent in the same period.
Orange is special
Apple calls the bright color of the new device “Cosmic Orange,” and in China this color is apparently associated with the luxury brand Hermès. On top of that, Financial Times explains, the name of the color would be phonetically very close to the Mandarin word for success. But the Cosmic Orange models are also quite popular in other countries. This may give a boost to voices in Cupertino who are calling for more courage in the choice of colors for Pro models.