(Yicai Global) Oct. 25 -- Apple Inc. [NASDAQ:AAPL] has sent over 864,900 iPhone X handsets from its Zhengzhou plant in Henan province to China and the rest of the world, state-run China News Service reported, quoting Zhengzhou Customs District.

Some 600,000 of the phones will be sent overseas, while the remainder will be sold in China, the report said.

Foxconn Technology Group, one of the US-based phone maker's better known suppliers, sent out the first batch of 46,500 iPhone X handsets on Oct. 14. The firm then distributed 76,400 units made especially for the mainland Chinese market on Oct. 18.

Apple released the new handset in September this year. It differs from its predecessors with an all-screen design and facial recognition, and is equipped with a wireless charging function.

Expectations for the product were high, but a merchant who has operated in Zhengzhou for years believes the iPhone, which was once seen as a high-end fashion item, is losing its touch in mainland China. Domestic smartphone makers have matured considerably and are able to offer similar models to attract the attention of young buyers, without the hefty price tag.