Apple’s business in Greater China has returned to strong growth, with quarterly revenue jumping 21% year over year as iPhone and Mac sales accelerated across one of the company’s most important markets.
During Apple’s fiscal Q4 earnings call, CEO John Ternus said Greater China revenue reached a September-quarter record, driven primarily by record iPhone revenue and strong double-digit Mac growth.
The quarterly result builds on a much larger full-year recovery. Apple says Greater China revenue grew 28% across fiscal 2026, reversing the weaker performance that had put the region under increased scrutiny in previous years.
iPhone appears to be at the center of the rebound. Apple reported a record year for iPhone upgraders in mainland China, while Ternus said Worldpanel data showed iPhone models were the three best-selling smartphones in urban China during the period.
The Mac also performed strongly. Apple says it gained share in China, with record Mac upgraders and customers new to the platform. Ternus cited Counterpoint data showing MacBook Air and MacBook Neo as the two best-selling laptop models and Mac mini as the best-selling desktop model during the September quarter.
The improvement follows signs earlier this year that iPhone shipments were gaining momentum in China even as the wider smartphone market slowed.
China is also about to become more important to Apple’s AI strategy. Apple Intelligence begins rolling out publicly in China with iOS 27.3 in December, with Alibaba’s Qwen integrated into selected experiences. Siri AI is not included in the initial rollout.
The China growth helped Apple report record Q4 revenue of $114.5 billion. Apple is now forecasting that its December quarter will become the biggest in company history.