In the first quarter of 2026, Apple’s iPhone 17 emerged as the top-selling smartphone globally, commanding 6% of worldwide unit sales. The iPhone 17 series dominated the market, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro securing the second and third spots, respectively. The previous-generation iPhone 16 maintained strong demand, ranking sixth after a successful sales performance last year.
The success of the iPhone 17 is attributed to significant upgrades that brought the base model closer in features to the Pro variants, such as increased base storage of 256GB, enhanced cameras, and a faster 120Hz display refresh rate. The model experienced double-digit growth in China and the U.S., and sales in South Korea tripled during the quarter.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy A series occupied the remaining positions in the top ten, with the Galaxy A07 4G leading the Android category. Xiaomi’s Redmi A5 rounded out the list in tenth place. Collectively, these top 10 devices accounted for 25% of global smartphone sales, marking the highest concentration ever recorded for a first quarter. The iPhone 17 is expected to enjoy an extended flagship period, with the iPhone 18 anticipated to launch in spring 2027.
