❯ iPhone 18 Pro first-hour presale value doubles as Taobao Flash Apple hardware sales jump more than 25-fold

Presale demandThe iPhone 18 Pro lineup opened for Chinese presales at 8 p.m. on September 12. Platform data showed first-hour sales value doubled from the iPhone 17 Pro period, with the 256GB burgundy iPhone 18 Pro Max drawing the strongest demand.

Instant retailTaobao Flash said Apple hardware transaction value that evening exceeded a normal full day by more than 25 times, covering Apple’s full hardware range. The number is limited to one platform and event window; it is not equivalent to Apple’s total China sales or evidence that every channel grew at the same rate.

Demand testLaunch demand for premium phones remains concentrated, though revenue is also shaped by prices, inventory and color mix. After the September 18 retail launch, delivery volume, shortages in popular configurations and returns will provide a clearer demand signal than the presale spike.

▪ SIGNALA doubled first hour shows that premium launches can still concentrate demand; performance after the opening week will determine the generation’s staying power.