Following the conclusion of college entrance exams, millions of Chinese students are engaging in “revenge spending,” driving record activations of over 32 million iPhone 17 units and propelling Apple back to the top of the smartphone market. Many buyers are prioritizing Apple’s superior resale value, reliability, and long-term performance over domestic brand loyalty.
Meanwhile, Huawei grapples with sluggish sales, questionable profitability, talent exodus, and intensifying international pressure, raising questions about whether pragmatic value is outweighing patriotism among younger shoppers.
Apple has successfully reclaimed the top spot in the fiercely competitive Chinese smartphone market. Recent data gathered by industry researchers shows a massive surge in device activations across the country. In just a few weeks, the iPhone 17 series reached an activation volume of 32.33 million units.
This impressive milestone sets a brand-new record for any iPhone generation in China. By the 21st week of the year, Apple officially overtook Huawei as the undisputed sales leader. For a premium international brand, this rapid market dominance is highly unusual.
Market research indicates that Apple already held a strong advantage in the high-end price segment. Following recent discounts, many shoppers who initially wanted domestic phones quickly switched to Apple.
When comparing smartphones, the secondhand market reveals a startling truth about device longevity. A prominent technology vlogger recently shared a striking comparison between two popular flagship phones. He placed a well-maintained Huawei Mate 60 Pro next to an iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Both premium devices were originally released to the public back in 2023. Despite launching at similar price points, their current resale values are drastically different today:
• A well-maintained Huawei Mate 60 Pro now sells for less than 2,000 yuan.
• The iPhone 15 Pro Max still commands around 5,000 yuan on the secondhand market.Consumers are quickly noticing that Apple devices retain more than double the value of their Huawei counterparts.
MacDailyNews Take: iPhones have always retained their value far better than Android knockoffs. Anyone who’s only noticing it now simply hasn’t been paying attention.
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