The iPhone 17 is the best-selling smartphone Apfelpatient

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Counterpoint Research has published its global top 10 list of best-selling smartphones for the first quarter of 2026. The iPhone 17 leads the list with a market share of six percent. Apple occupies four of the ten spots.

It's not unusual for an iPhone model to top the global bestseller list. What is unusual, however, is which model it is this time. While the iPhone 17 Pro Max held the top spot in the fourth quarter of 2025, the more affordable standard model has now taken the lead – and by a significant margin. Behind the scenes, this is visibly changing Apple's sales structure.

Market researchers at Counterpoint Research publish a quarterly ranking of the ten best-selling smartphones worldwide. For the first quarter of 2026, the report shows a particularly clear distribution: the top three spots are all held by Apple, followed by two Samsung models, another iPhone, three Galaxy smartphones, and one Xiaomi model. The concentration of power among just a few top-performing devices is higher than ever. Apple already occupied five of the ten spots on this list in Q4 2025 – and now the trend is solidifying.

The top 10 in detail

The iPhone 17 takes first place with a six percent share of global smartphone sales. The iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone 17 Pro follow in second and third place, respectively. This means that the top three spots are all held by Apple – a rare occurrence.

The lower positions are consequently more mixed:

#	Model
1	iPhone 17
2	iPhone 17 Pro Max
3	iPhone 17 Pro
4	Samsung Galaxy A07 4G
5	Samsung Galaxy A17 5G
6	iPhone 16
7	Samsung Galaxy A56
8	Samsung Galaxy A36
9	Samsung Galaxy A17 4G
10	Xiaomi Redmi A5

It's striking that the iPhone 16, despite its age, remains in the top 10 – in fact, it was the best-selling smartphone worldwide in the third quarter of 2025. Equally noteworthy: the top ten models account for 25 percent of global sales – the highest concentration Counterpoint has ever recorded in a first quarter.

Why the standard model is ahead

The fact that the iPhone 17, and not the iPhone 17 Pro Max, tops the list is a direct result of the product decisions Apple made with this generation. Counterpoint analyst Harshit Rastogi cites several factors: higher base storage, higher camera resolution, and the ProMotion-enabled display refresh rate, which brings the standard model closer to the Pro variants. The result is a value proposition that works for significantly more buyers.

Regional performance underscores the trend. According to Counterpoint, the iPhone 17 saw double-digit year-over-year growth in China and the US – and even tripled in South Korea. In the months following its launch, it was already apparent that the standard model was generating exceptionally strong sales, particularly in China. This momentum has apparently continued into the new quarter.

The iPhone Air is left out

As in the fourth quarter of 2025, the iPhone Air is missing from the top 10. The ultra-thin model, introduced in September 2025 with the iPhone 17 series, continues to fail to achieve significant sales figures among the global market leaders. This observation aligns with reports of reduced production that Apple implemented shortly after its launch. The fact that its successor – the iPhone Air 2 – remains in development suggests that Apple views the concept as a long-term investment, not a short-term sales driver.

Samsung just missed out on the top 10

It's noteworthy that Samsung's new flagship killer, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, narrowly missed the top 10. Counterpoint, however, points out that the model is experiencing better initial sales than its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Features like the new privacy display and AI upgrades are cited as key drivers. Samsung's mid-range Galaxy A-series models remain its volume sellers, occupying positions four, five, seven, eight, and nine with three models. In the premium segment, however, Apple remains virtually unchallenged.

What's behind Apple's Q1 results

The results confirm a trend that Counterpoint had already predicted by the end of 2025: Apple is growing faster than the overall market and is gaining ground particularly in China and the USA. With three iPhone 17 models occupying the top three spots and a high concentration of sales on a few top-of-the-line devices, Apple is poised for an exceptionally strong fiscal year.

The shift at the top – from the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the previous quarter to the standard model in the current quarter – also shows that while Apple's Pro strategy is working, the real volume remains in the standard segment. Anyone considering how this will affect the upcoming iPhone 18 generation and the question of Apple Ultra versus Pro will find a clear signal here: differentiation at the top end helps, but the more affordable standard model remains the true mass-market product.

Three iPhones at the top is a statement

Three models from a single generation occupying the top three spots on the global bestseller list is unusual. It demonstrates how consistently Apple has managed to build a product range with the iPhone 17 series that outperforms the competition in multiple price segments simultaneously. With WWDC kicking off on June 8th and the upcoming iPhone 18 generation on the horizon, the next real test won't come until September. Until then, the Q1 results send a clear message: Apple dominates the premium segment, and the standard model has become the strongest performer in its portfolio. (Image: Apple)