iPhone 17 Continues to Dominate Sales; Galaxy S26 Ultra Falls Out of Top 10

Preliminary data from Counterpoint Research's Global Handset Model Sales Tracker for the first quarter of 2026 describes a scenario of strong consolidation for Cupertino.

iPhone 17 is the best-selling smartphone in the world, capturing 6% of global shipments by itself. Apple fully occupies the podium: iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro closely follow, confirming a buying trend that favors the premium segments of the Californian lineup.

The success of the base model is attributed to a strategy of technical "approach" to the Pro variants. Specifications that previously created a clear divide, such as the high refresh rate display, camera resolution, and the entry-level storage cut, have been leveled upward. This has generated double-digit growth in key markets like the United States and China, but the staggering figure comes from South Korea, where iPhone 17 sales have tripled compared to the previous generation, signaling aggressive penetration even in the home turf of the main competitor.

Apple's Dominance: The Podium is All iPhone 17, While Samsung Captures the Mid-Range

Although Apple controls the top of the rankings, Samsung maintains a massive numerical presence by placing five models in the Top 10, all belonging to the Galaxy A family. The Samsung Galaxy A07 4G has been crowned the best-selling Android smartphone of the quarter, driven by exceptional demand in emerging markets, particularly in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The Korean strategy for the mid-range has focused on product longevity, offering six years of software and security updates on an affordable device.

However, the absence of Samsung flagships in the top ten positions remains significant. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, despite recording higher initial sales than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, has hovered just outside the top ten, despite the introduction of hardware innovations that seemed pivotal, such as the privacy display, a first for the industry that focuses on protecting data displayed on screen.

The first quarter of 2026 marked a historic record for market concentration: the top ten models alone account for 25% of global unit sales. This is the highest value ever recorded for a Q1 in the metrics of the analytical firm. This dynamic is the result of two factors: on one hand, the persistent shortage of memory, which has pushed component costs, forcing Android OEMs to cut cheaper and less profitable price lists; on the other hand, market saturation sees consumers preferring iconic and proven models.

Xiaomi manages to maintain a foothold in the entry-level with Redmi A5, which closes the ranking in tenth place as the most economical device of the lot. The polarization of the market seems destined to intensify in the rest of the year. Forecasts for 2026 indicate that major manufacturers will continue to prioritize value over volume, shifting the business focus towards premium models. In a context of overall declining shipments, Apple's ability to maintain high margins with the 17 series appears as the safe harbor toward which the entire mobile industry is navigating.