Though the iPhone 8 may not be selling especially well, its performance has been high enough to give Apple's sales a boost in China. After 18 months of lower sales in that market, Canalys reports the iPhone is finally doing better again, having experienced a 40% increase in sales.

During Q3 there were 11 million sales, up from 8 million during the same quarter last year. The iPhone 8 is receiving credit for this improvement. Canalys says it accounted for a larger portion of sales in Q3 2017 than the iPhone 7 series did in Q3 2016.

Projections for the future aren't very positive, however. Canalys doesn't think Apple will continue to report substantial year-on-year improvements in upcoming quarters.

Apple's growth this quarter is only temporary. The high sell-in caters to the pent-up demand of iPhone upgraders in the absence of the iPhone X. Price cuts on earlier models after announcing the iPhone 8 have also helped. However, Apple is unlikely to sustain this growth in Q4, - Mo Jia, analyst, Canalys