China during the second quarter of 2023 became the largest iPhone market in the world, passing the United States for the first time in history. That information comes from data analyzed by global market research company TechInsights (via The Elec).
According to the research firm’s Global Shipment Report, China accounted for 24% of all iPhone shipments in Q2 2023, while the U.S. market accounted for 21%.
The U.S. smartphone market in the U.S. was sluggish, thanks to customers electing to delay the purchase of a new smartphone until the release of Apple’s iPhone 15 lineup later this year. However, TechInsight said its results at the same time reflected “China’s [growing] economic power, the burgeoning middle class, and the premium phone preferences of Chinese consumers.”
The iPhone 14 Pro Max was the largest-selling model to Asians, as Asian consumers have a preference for larger-sized smartphones, and this may have boosted overall sales of iPhone 14 Pro Max models. Omdia’s Smartphone Model Market Tracker for 2Q23 says that during the January-to-June period, Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max shipped 26.5 million units globally — the most of any model from any manufacturer. The iPhone 14 Pro snagged second place with 21 million units.
Devices from Chinese manufacturers were missing from the top 10, following double-digit declines from 2022 due to a sales slump in the mid- to low-end smartphone market.