Apple's iPhone 17 retained its position as the world's best-selling smartphone for a second consecutive quarter in Q2 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. The model's unit sales rose 5% despite a decline in the broader global smartphone market.
Counterpoint said the iPhone 17 series saw strong growth in markets including India, Japan, the Middle East and Africa, while sales in South Korea nearly doubled.
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A Stronger Lineup Across The Board
Apple's performance was also supported by the broader iPhone 17 lineup. Counterpoint attributed the series' momentum partly to Apple's efforts to narrow the gap between its standard and Pro models.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max ranked as the world's second best-selling smartphone during the quarter, followed by the iPhone 17 Pro at No. 3. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra took the fourth spot.
iPhones Take Half The Top 10
Apple had five smartphones in the global top 10 during the quarter. Along with the three iPhone 17 models, the iPhone 17e ranked seventh, while the older iPhone 16 came in tenth.
The ranking was broadly similar to the previous year, when Apple's iPhone 16 lineup and iPhone 15 occupied the same positions.
Counterpoint said an ongoing global chip shortage has encouraged smartphone manufacturers to prioritise higher-end devices over lower-priced models. Apple and Samsung recorded gains in this environment, even as the overall smartphone market contracted by 11% during the quarter.
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Revenue Share Outpaces Unit Share
Apple's performance was even stronger in terms of revenue. The company accounted for 23% of global smartphone shipments during the quarter but captured 49% of industry revenue, highlighting the higher average selling prices of its devices.
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