India, Feb. 12 -- The iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange has triggered a buying frenzy in China, turning Apple's newest colour variant into a luxury status symbol. Nicknamed by local people Hermes Orange due to its unbelievable similarity to the luxury brand with the same name, this bright colour perfectly plays the psychological instruments: status-marking, cultural insignification and word-of-mouth social confirmation, indicating that smartphones will sell feelings rather than features.

This viral iPhone colour shows how design can outperform discounts in driving flagship smartphone sales. The viral success of the new model has directly contributed to Apple China sales growth, with revenues jumping 38% year-on-year in Q1 2026. Unboxing videos...