Lower-cost phones sold there by up-and-coming rivals, such as Xiaomi, appeared to be taking market share mainly from other companies that rely on Google's Android mobile software, Maestri added.

"We have a really good runway in front of us with China Mobile," Maestri said in an interview, referring to Apple's main carrier partner in the world's No. 2 economy.

(Reporting by Christina Farr and Edwin Chan; Editing by David Gregorio)