The secret behind the iPhone 17 Pro's high demand.

Apple scored a major victory thanks to the appeal of the orange color on the iPhone 17 Pro duo. Photo: 9to5Mac .

Apple just recorded its most successful iPhone sales quarter in history, with record-breaking sales in the final quarter of last year. While the long-term growth of the iPhone has been relatively stable, this breakthrough period has drawn attention from analysts, especially given the crucial role of the Chinese market.

A recent report suggests that two notable factors contributing to this success are related to the striking orange color on the iPhone 17 Pro line.

In its latest financial report, Apple announced revenue of $143.8 billion , a 16% increase year-on-year and exceeding market expectations. Notably, the Chinese market saw a 38% year-on-year revenue growth. Apple attributed this growth primarily to the iPhone, a product line that has set all-time sales records in the Chinese market.

Previously, many analysts had offered three main reasons to explain Apple's resurgence in China. However, a Financial Times report adds another noteworthy factor, directly related to the design and colors of the iPhone 17 Pro line.

Accordingly, the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange has created a strong impact in the Chinese market. Given that consumers there place particular importance on social status when buying an iPhone, these changes make the latest model easily recognizable.

Analysts believe that the redesigned iPhone 17 series has helped reinforce Apple's "status symbol" in China, as users can easily distinguish the premium product from previous generations.

Furthermore, the striking orange color on the iPhone 17 Pro is similar to the color often associated with the French luxury brand Hermès. This has led many consumers and social media influencers to informally refer to the Cosmic Orange color as "Hermès orange."

Many Chinese users are calling the new color on the iPhone 17 Pro line "Hermès Orange." Photo: Bloomberg .

Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC , commented that this phenomenon shows how Apple's distinctive design language has helped the company reshape its brand recognition in China, while also attracting a user group that appreciates novelty.

Local cultural and linguistic factors also contributed to the appeal of the orange iPhone version. On Chinese social media, buyers used wordplay and homophones, associating the word "orange" with "success," and linking the product to wishes for good luck and achieving future goals.

Apple recorded its best iPhone sales quarter in history, with the striking orange color variant believed to be one of the factors driving demand in the Chinese market.