Apple iPhone 17 series first sale in China: Pro Max becomes a "hot seller," scalpers in Beijing and Shanghai mark up prices by thousands, while interest in Shenzhen cools down

The Apple iPhone 17 series officially went on sale in China on Friday, and the market response shows complex yet positive signals. In some first-tier cities like Beijing, there is a resurgence of queueing and "scalpers" marking up prices, indicating strong demand for high-end models; however, the enthusiasm in places like Shenzhen has cooled compared to previous years.

After the launch on Friday, long queues quickly formed outside Apple's flagship stores in Beijing and Shanghai, with some popular models selling out rapidly. According to Yicai, about three hundred people were waiting outside the Apple flagship store in Sanlitun, Beijing, with some consumers eager to pick up their online pre-ordered new devices. Shortly after the sale began, all iPhone 17 series stock in the store was reported sold out, with scalpers outside marking up the prices of some popular models by several hundred to over a thousand yuan. According to Daily Economic News, the queueing scene at the direct store on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai exceeded that of previous years, prompting staff to set up barriers to maintain order.

The launch of the Apple iPhone 17 series was explosive: long lines at stores, with "scalpers" marking up prices by three to four hundred yuan to purchase the Pro Max version (Image source: Daily Economic News)

However, the market enthusiasm is not universally consistent. According to Securities Times, at an Apple retail store in Shenzhen, the number of customers queueing to pick up their orders was "much less than in previous years," and the line quickly moved into the store. Scalpers on-site have also become more cautious, stating they are only willing to purchase the iPhone 17 Pro Max models with 512GB or more capacity, indicating that market demand is highly concentrated on the top configuration version Overall, the launch performance of the iPhone 17 series has provided Apple with a mixed start in the crucial Chinese market. Analysts generally believe that the design updates of the new models, especially the Pro Max version, are expected to become an important driver for boosting Apple's year-end sales and market share in response to the fierce competitive pressure from local brands this year.

Strong Demand for Pro Max Models, Underlying Currents in the Scalper Market

The high-end models in the iPhone 17 series have become the focus of this release. In Beijing, stores have adjusted their opening hours from 10 AM to 8 AM to accommodate the crowds. Lines for in-store pickup began forming as early as 5 or 6 AM. At the Apple flagship store on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, customers were lined up outside the physical store, prompting staff to set up more black barriers for queuing. According to staff at the Apple store, only consumers who made advance reservations can enter the store to pick up their new devices.

The Pro Max model is the most sought after. The scalper markup for the 1TB version of the Pro Max is as high as 1,000 yuan, while the 256GB Pro version has a premium of about 300-400 yuan. Information on Apple's official website also indicates that orders for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models are expected to be delivered by late October.

Several scalpers stated: “This year, the markup is not high because (Apple) has too much stock.” For the 2TB version of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, scalpers have purchased less, and for the standard version of the iPhone 17, scalpers are not buying at all.

Scalpers on-site said:

“I haven't seen any user come out with the 2TB version (from the Apple retail store) yet. If there is, I would be willing to buy it back, but I can't pay much more. Ordinary users won't buy such a large memory version; the official price is already 17,999 yuan, which is too expensive.”

The launch of Apple's iPhone 17 series is booming: long lines at stores, and scalpers marking up prices by three to four hundred yuan to purchase the Pro Max version (Source: Daily Economic News)

Consumer enthusiasm is mainly driven by product updates. A 35-year-old consumer told the media that he purchased the Pro Max model starting at 9,999 yuan, specifically because of its brand new design and longer battery life. According to information from Apple's launch event, the battery capacity of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is close to 5,000mAh, and the rear camera has also been upgraded, directly addressing the long-standing battery life concerns of users.

Staff at the Beijing store confirmed that all 17 series stock in the store has been sold out. Even if consumers place orders now, the earliest they can receive their phones is mid to late October to early November.

Analysts: Redesign Expected to Boost Apple's Market Share in China

The release of the iPhone 17 is seen by analysts as a key to Apple's turnaround in the Chinese market. According to data released by Counterpoint Research this week, Apple's shipments in China fell by 6% year-on-year in the first eight weeks of the third quarter, affected by brand competition and other factors.

Chiew Le Xuan, a senior analyst at research firm Omdia, stated that it is expected that with the boost from the iPhone 17 series, Apple's shipments in China will grow by 11% year-on-year in the second half of the year, achieving a 5% growth for the entire year of 2025:

“The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to outperform the previous generation 16 Pro Max, driven primarily by significant redesigns—historically, this factor has always stimulated upgrade demand in China.”

He predicts that this model may become Apple's best-performing model in the Chinese market by 2026.

Regarding the regional heat differentiation observed during this release, the market also seems to be undergoing a re-evaluation of price and value. Securities Times observed in Shenzhen that scalpers' acquisition scope has noticeably narrowed, focusing only on the high-capacity version of the Pro Max, with orange being the most popular.

iPhone Air's launch in China delayed, old models discounted to clear inventory

The highly anticipated "thinnest iPhone ever"—iPhone Air—did not launch simultaneously in the mainland Chinese market. This model only supports eSIM (embedded SIM card), and the related telecom operator services require regulatory approval, leading Apple to postpone its pre-sale in China. Stores have also not displayed this phone.

Will Wong, a senior smartphone analyst at IDC, believes that the iPhone Air may be used as a "testbed" for lightweight technology, which could potentially be applied to a foldable iPhone in the future. However, he also pointed out that compromises made in battery, camera, and audio quality to achieve lightweight design contradict the features valued by Chinese consumers, thus the iPhone Air will not bring significant sales growth to Apple in the short term.

As new models are launched, Apple has also begun to discount old models to clear inventory. Currently, the price of the iPhone 16 in Beijing stores has been reduced, with only the 128GB version available for sale at 5,399 yuan, down from its launch price of 5,999 yuan in 2024, while the iPhone 16 Pro has been discontinued