iPhone 17 Launches Worldwide as Apple Faces Rising AI Scrutiny and China Competition
The highly anticipated iPhone 17 officially hit global store shelves on Friday, sparking massive queues from Beijing to London.
Beyond the excitement of launch day, Apple is under mounting pressure to prove itself — both in delivering stronger artificial intelligence capabilities and in standing firm against intensifying competition from Chinese smartphone makers.
For the first time, consumers can get their hands on the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the ultra-thin iPhone Air, alongside refreshed Apple Watch and AirPods models. While U.S. customers could preorder from September 12, the global rollout carries even greater weight as Apple battles to maintain its edge in overseas markets.
China Demand Surges
In Beijing, eager buyers camped overnight outside the Sanlitun flagship store. Liu, the first in line, said he had been waiting since 11 p.m. Thursday to grab the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, praising its updated exterior design and improved heat dissipation. Once a Huawei user, Liu said he now prefers Apple for daily use and entertainment.
Another customer, Yang — previously a Xiaomi user — echoed the sentiment, pointing to iOS and larger internal storage as reasons for the switch. Analysts suggest this year may see a wave of first-time iPhone buyers in China, a boost Apple badly needs after slipping to just 10% of the Chinese smartphone market, trailing Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi.
So far, momentum looks strong. On launch week, JD.com reported that iPhone 17 preorders in the first minute outpaced the entire first day of iPhone 16 preorders last year. The platform also said trade-in sales quadrupled compared to 2024.
Global Buzz
The launch wasn’t just a hit in China. In Singapore, long lines formed outside Apple’s Marina Bay outlet as buyers rushed to upgrade. Young professionals Iman Isa and Daniel Muhamed Nuv highlighted the fresh design, improved battery, and camera as reasons for loyalty to the Apple ecosystem.
The base iPhone 17 model has performed better than expected thanks to unchanged pricing despite higher memory upgrades, according to market research firms. Interest was also high in the new AirPods Pro 3, which now feature real-time translation.
In London, excitement rivaled — and even exceeded — last year’s iPhone 16 launch. Most buyers gravitated toward the premium Pro and Pro Max models. Jasmine, a longtime Apple fan, said she upgrades every year to stay ahead, while Michael, a content creator, opted for the Pro model, citing stronger battery and camera performance.
Pressure on Apple Intelligence
While the iPhone 17’s early success is a relief for Apple, attention now turns to its artificial intelligence strategy. Industry analysts have praised Apple’s product design but caution that the company must deliver meaningful AI advancements after falling short on earlier promises.
“Apple needs to catch up in AI,” one analyst noted, adding that while the company still has room to maneuver, expectations are rising fast.
