Counterpoint Research says Apple’s iPhone 17 was the world’s best-selling smartphone model in the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 6% of global handset shipments during the period.
The firm’s latest model sales tracker shows Apple sweeping the top three spots in the global top-10 ranking with the iPhone 17 lineup. Samsung’s Galaxy A family, meanwhile, held five positions in the same list, while Apple’s iPhone 16 came in sixth and Xiaomi’s REDMI A5 placed tenth.
Taken together, the top 10 smartphone models contributed 25% of global phone shipments for the quarter, which Counterpoint described as the highest first-quarter concentration on record. The report links that result to continued demand for the iPhone 17 range, while ongoing memory shortages also pushed up component costs and increased pressure on other Android brands.
Senior analyst Harshit Rastogi said the iPhone 17 continued to outperform its predecessor thanks to upgrades in base storage, camera resolution, and display refresh rate. In his view, those changes moved the standard model closer to the Pro versions and improved its overall value for a broader slice of buyers.
He added that the phone posted double-digit year-over-year growth in key markets such as China and the US, while sales in South Korea reportedly tripled.
For Samsung, the Galaxy A series filled all five of its spots in the ranking and covered several price bands at once. The Galaxy A07 4G was the best-selling Android smartphone of the quarter, with strong weight in emerging markets such as the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Counterpoint noted that the device’s promise of up to six years of software and security support makes it especially appealing to buyers focused on long-term value.
Samsung’s 2026 flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra narrowly missed the top 10, although its early sales were said to be stronger than those of the previous generation. The model’s standout points were described as a first-of-its-kind privacy screen and upgraded AI features.
Xiaomi’s REDMI A5 ranked tenth and was the most affordable phone in the chart. Since launch, the model has reportedly maintained healthy demand across emerging markets.
Looking ahead, senior analyst Karn Chauhan said the share taken by the top 10 smartphone models is expected to rise further through 2026. He argued that a weaker market would likely hit the mass-market segment harder, while premium phones continue to gain share as brands shift their focus from raw volume toward value.
