Updated
Updated · GSMArena.com · Sep 17
iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders Top 7 Million in China as Tmall Revenue Doubles
Updated
Updated · GSMArena.com · Sep 17

iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders Top 7 Million in China as Tmall Revenue Doubles

3 articles · Updated · GSMArena.com · Sep 17

Summary

  • More than 7 million iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max units were pre-ordered across China after sales opened on Sept. 12, with demand outpacing weaker early reception reported in the US.
  • JD exhausted its available inventory in under a minute, and other retailers saw similar rushes, while Tmall said pre-order revenue for the two Pro models doubled from last year's iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
  • CNY 10,000 for the 18 Pro and CNY 11,000 for the Pro Max means the revenue jump does not map directly to unit growth, since both models cost CNY 1,000 more than their 2025 predecessors.
  • About 60% of buyers chose the iPhone 18 Pro over the Pro Max, an unusual split that local reports linked to the lighter 211g design versus 249g for the larger model.
  • Burgundy emerged as the most popular color, adding a cultural tailwind because its Chinese name reportedly sounds like the word for prosperity.

Insights

Despite a steep price hike, millions rushed for the iPhone 18 Pro; is the A20 chip truly revolutionary or just brilliant marketing?
Will the culturally clever Burgundy finish and lighter design sustain Apple's massive Chinese sales against fierce local rivals?
Could the new Reference Image camera mode secretly be Apple's biggest game-changer for digital authenticity in the AI era?