iPhone 17 outperforms every other phone in the world so far this year

Apple’s iPhone 17 was the world’s best-selling smartphone in the first quarter of 2026, capturing 6% of global unit sales, according to Counterpoint Research’s latest Global Handset Model Sales Tracker.

The iPhone 17 series dominated the top three spots, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max in second place and the iPhone 17 Pro in third. The previous generation iPhone 16 also held steady in sixth place, suggesting there is still strong demand for the model, following its blockbuster sales throughout last year.

Counterpoint principal analyst Harshit Rastogi attributed the success of the iPhone 17 to upgrades that brought the base model closer to the Pro variants, including a higher base storage of 256 GB, improved cameras, and a faster 120 Hz display refresh rate. Not only did the iPhone 17 see double-digit year-over-year growth in China and the United States, but it also tripled its sales in South Korea during the quarter.

Samsung’s Galaxy A series took the remaining five spots, led by the budget-friendly Galaxy A07 4G, as the best-selling Android phone of the quarter. Xiaomi’s Redmi A5 completes the list in tenth place.

Together, the top 10 devices accounted for 25% of global smartphone sales – the highest concentration ever recorded in the first quarter, according to Counterpoint.