The base iPhone has reclaimed its throne, with the iPhone 17 taking over the reins in leading sales numbers from its elder sibling, the iPhone 17 Pro Max. According to the latest Global Handset Model Sales Tracker by Counterpoint Research, the standard Apple iPhone 17 was the world’s best-selling smartphone in the first quarter of 2026, officially dethroning the pricier Pro Max model.
The report notes that the iPhone 17 captured around 6% of all global units, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro followed closely behind in second and third place, respectively. Notably, just a month ago, Counterpoint had released its data for Q4 2025, where the iPhone 17 Pro Max was the highest-selling phone, capturing 5% of all phone sales globally, followed by the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
As for why the iPhone 17 managed to overtake the iPhone 17 Pro Max in terms of sales, the report attributes it to improved hardware updates that Apple brought to the base iPhone model in September last year, such as a 120Hz refresh rate panel and better base storage (256GB, up from 128GB on the iPhone 16).
Senior Counterpoint analyst Harshit Rastogi, while commenting on Apple’s performance in the quarter, noted, “iPhone 17 continues to outperform its predecessor owing to key upgrades like higher base storage, camera resolution, display refresh rate, bringing the smartphone closer to the Pro variants and providing overall value for a larger market.”
“The smartphone registered double-digit YoY growth in key markets like China, the US and 3x in South Korea for the quarter. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pro captured the following two spots, offering even more advanced capabilities across camera, battery and new colour, material and finish,” Rastogi added.
Which are the other phones in the top 10 list?
Among the other phones in the top 10 list are five models from Samsung, all from its Galaxy A series: Galaxy A07, Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, Galaxy A17 5G, and Galaxy A17 4G. Meanwhile, last year’s Apple base flagship, the iPhone 16, still continued to hold strong in terms of sales and secured the sixth spot in the rankings.
The report attributes the rise of Samsung’s A series to the high contribution from emerging regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Another major selling point was said to be Samsung’s focus on long-term software support, such as offering six years of OS updates.
However, Samsung’s latest Galaxy S26 Ultra couldn’t find a place in the list but was said to have ‘narrowly missed the top 10 list’, while registering stronger initial sales compared to its predecessor owing to the privacy display and new AI upgrades.
The only other brand that found a mention in the list was Xiaomi, whose Redmi A5 took the 10th spot, which the report attributes to the device’s sustained demand since launch across emerging markets.
The report notes that the first quarter of 2026 saw the top 10 smartphones contribute to 25% of all global unit sales, calling it ‘the highest Q1 concentration ever’.
