Apple’s latest smartphone family, the iPhone 17 series, has outperformed the company’s previous generation in two of its most important markets, giving a fresh jolt to investor confidence. Data from Counterpoint Research show the new lineup sold 14 percent more than the iPhone 16 over the first 10 days on sale in the United States and China, a measure that industry watchers use as an early indicator of consumer appetite.

The devices, released in September, include Apple’s newest standard models as well as the debut of a super-thin model marketed as the iPhone Air. The Air, pitched on slimmer dimensions and lighter weight, appears to have broadened appeal among buyers looking for a blend of flagship capability and a different form factor, contributing to the lineup’s brisk early performance.

The stronger opening sales coincided with a surge in Apple’s stock price, which reached an all-time high as markets digested fresh demand signals. For a company that generates a substantial portion of its revenue from the iPhone, even modest upticks in unit sales can reverberate through its hardware-dependent supply chain and boost expectations for services and accessory revenue linked to new device activations.

China, long a strategic battleground for smartphone makers, played a central role in the early success. The country remains one of Apple’s largest markets, and robust initial take-up there suggests the company’s design and marketing choices continue to resonate despite intense competition from domestic manufacturers. In the United States, where Apple historically commands a premium share of the market, the iPhone 17’s early traction reinforces the brand’s entrenched position among consumers and carriers.

Industry analysts and investors will be watching whether the early sales advantage translates into sustained momentum across the quarter. First-week and first-ten-day figures capture immediacy and hype but do not always predict the full lifecycle of a handset’s sales. Replacement cycles, carrier promotions, and pricing strategies can all reshape demand in the months after launch.

The product refresh also has implications beyond unit volumes. Higher device turnover can accelerate upgrades into the company’s services ecosystem—streaming, cloud storage, digital payments and app purchases—where margins are typically higher than hardware. Suppliers of key components could see renewed orders if Apple needs to scale production, while competitors may adjust pricing and feature road maps in response.

At the same time, Apple faces persistent challenges: slowing global smartphone growth, regulatory scrutiny in several regions, and the long-term risk of stretched upgrade cycles that can blunt demand. For now, however, the initial sales data and the market response point to a successful rollout that will buoy Apple’s near-term financial prospects and keep scrutiny on how the company converts early interest into durable market share and revenue growth.