iPhone 17 Pre-Orders Smash Records in China, Pro Max Emerges as Top Choice
Apple’s latest flagship, the iPhone 17 series, has taken China by storm, recording a staggering response in its very first minutes of pre-orders. According to the South China Morning Post, sales on JD.com, one of the country’s largest e-commerce platforms, crossed the entire first-day tally of the iPhone 16 lineup within just a minute of launch. The demand was so overwhelming that Apple’s official website briefly crashed, while some buyers reported payment delays of up to five minutes before their orders were confirmed.
Leading the charge is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which has quickly become the most sought-after device in the lineup. In Shanghai, all in-store pickup slots were snapped up within 20 minutes, while buyers in Guangzhou are already facing delivery timelines stretching into mid-October. Meanwhile, the base iPhone 17 is also performing strongly, with the 256GB variant emerging as a fan favorite among early adopters.
Industry experts suggest this momentum reflects Apple’s strong product segmentation. “Apple has astutely structured its lineup so that each model appeals to different consumer needs. Collectively, this ensures broad demand across the entire series,” said Nabila Popal, Senior Research Director at IDC.
Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo echoed the sentiment, noting that pre-orders for the iPhone 17 are outpacing its predecessor. He revealed that Apple planned production levels for the Pro Max, Pro, and standard iPhone 17 about 25% higher than last year’s iPhone 16, yet delivery wait times have only slightly extended—evidence of stronger demand. While the iPhone Air has seen softer demand compared to last year’s Plus model, Apple has tripled production for this quarter, making year-over-year comparisons less straightforward.
Market tracker TrendForce estimates shipments of the iPhone 17 series could be 3.5% higher than the iPhone 16 lineup, with Pro models continuing to drive the bulk of sales globally. Analysts believe this early surge could boost Apple’s third-quarter performance, though investor attention is already shifting toward next year’s iPhone refresh, which is expected to bring more dramatic changes.
