Apple has officially opened pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro series in China, with starting prices set at ¥10 000. The launch saw significant demand, leading to extended delivery times on the official website and reports of shortages across various retail platforms.
Data from Taobao indicates that sales of the iPhone 18 Pro series in the first hour of pre-orders were more than double those of the iPhone 17 Pro during the same period last year. The most popular configuration was the iPhone 18 Pro Max with 256 GB of storage in the new burgundy color.
The surge in interest also impacted broader Apple sales on the platform. During the Taobao Flash Sale, total sales volume for Apple products increased by more than 25 times compared to typical daily figures. The company is managing distribution through a network of over 4 000 authorized stores.
Despite initial supply constraints, the platform reports that it maintains sufficient stock levels and will regularly replenish popular configurations. Once the devices move to open sales, customers in select regions may receive their orders in as little as 18 minutes.
