The iPhone 17 was criticized for its orange color, its too fragile body, and its iOS 26 operating system. Yet those who count liked it: the buyers. The device set record sales and on September 20, Apple shares closed up 3.9% at $262.24, bringing the market capitalization at altitude 3,900 billion dollars. Apple passed Microsoftthus becoming the second most valuable company in the worldimmediately behind Nvidiawhich remains in the lead with 4,400 billion dollars.
The credit for this surge was the iPhone 17. Monday’s rise comes in fact after the publication of a report CounterpointResearch. According to the data reported, sales of the new iPhone 17 have exceeded by 14% those of the iPhone 16 in the first ten days after launch, which took place on September 19th.
The basic model of the iPhone 17 already represents the 22% of overall sales of the new range, growing compared to the iPhone 16 in the same reference period. The success, analysts explain, is due to a combination of technical improvements, stable pricing strategies And promotional incentives on sales channels. “Buying this device is an obvious choice — he explained Mengmeng Zhangsenior analyst at Counterpoint —. With new features and the same price as the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 offers a extremely competitive quality-price ratiowhich Chinese consumers are rewarding.”
The new iPhone 17s are available in Italy from today: the prices of all configurations
Apple flies, but Nvidia remains in the lead
With one market capitalization of $3.9 trillionApple surpassed Microsoft (3,800 billion), However, it is unable to overtake Nvidia, which dominates the ranking thanks to the boom in artificial intelligence.
For Apple, however, overtaking Microsoft represents a sign of renewed confidence of the market, driven by the commercial success of the new generation of iPhone and by the perception that the company is returning to growth. With the stock rally and strong demand for the iPhone 17 — particularly in the historically crucial Chinese market — Apple appears to have regained the momentum it had been missing in recent quarters.
Apple’s future after a difficult year
It hasn’t been an easy year for Apple. Since January, the stock has barely risen 5%much less than the rallies of Nvidia (+36%) And Meta (+25%). The trade tensions between Washington and Beijingculminating in April with the announcement by the president Donald Trump Of punitive duties up to 100% on Chinese products.
Apple, heavily dependent on Asian manufacturing, had seen its stock plummet to $172.42burning beyond 640 billion dollars in capitalization. The company then managed to negotiate partial tariff exemptions for iPhone and semiconductors, engaging 500 billion dollars in support of US industrial plans. One’s perspective new trade war with China continues to represent a significant risk. With the iPhone 17 boom, however, it seems that Apple has regained momentum — and even some investor confidence. Overtaking Microsoft is not just a symbolic achievement. It’s a sign: Apple is back.
