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How a Bright Orange iPhone 17 Sparked Apple's Record Sales in China

A lucky shade of orange turned Apple's fortunes in China. The iPhone 17's 'cosmic orange' became a social media sensation—and a sales powerhouse.

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
The image shows a Huawei store in Shanghai at night, illuminated by bright lights and surrounded by...
The image shows a Huawei store in Shanghai at night, illuminated by bright lights and surrounded by glass walls and doors. Inside the store, there are people, chairs, tables, and other objects, as well as screens displaying text and images. At the bottom of the image, there is a watermark.

How a Bright Orange iPhone 17 Sparked Apple's Record Sales in China

Apple has set a new record for iPhone sales in China after a strong final quarter in 2025. The company reported $26 billion in revenue from the region, marking a 38% increase compared to the same period last year. Industry analysts point to a surprising factor behind the surge: a bright orange colour option for the latest models.

The new 'cosmic orange' shade debuted in China during autumn 2025. It quickly gained popularity, partly because the Mandarin word for 'orange' sounds much like the word for 'success'. This linguistic quirk led to social media trends, with users sharing photos of their orange iPhones alongside phrases like 'May all your wishes turn orange; may orange come at once.' Thousands posted images of the 'Hermès orange' iPhone 17, further fuelling interest.

The colour's impact was noted by IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, who linked the sales spike directly to its introduction. While Apple's overall market share in China grew to 22% in Q4—up 28% in shipments from the previous year—the company still trailed Huawei for the full year, holding around 16-17% of the market. The iPhone 17 series drove much of this growth, though no specific data isolates the effect of the orange variant alone.

Apple's Q4 performance capped a year of recovery in China. The $26 billion revenue figure stands as the highest ever recorded for the company in the region, cementing the importance of colour choices and cultural resonance in its strategy.

The orange iPhone 17 has become a cultural talking point in China, blending linguistic tradition with modern tech trends. Apple's record sales reflect both the model's appeal and the broader success of its latest series. The company now holds a stronger position in the competitive Chinese market, though Huawei remains the leader for 2025.

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