iPhone 17 is outselling Pro models in Q1 2026, Samsung A-series remains a mass-market hit

Apple iPhone 17 becomes the best-selling model globally, overthrowing the iPhone 17 Pro models in the first quarter of 2026. According to a Counterpoint Research report, the standard iPhone model dominates 6% of global unit sales, whereas the Samsung Galaxy A Series maintained five spots in the top 10.

Top 10 best-selling phones of Q1 2026

The latest Apple iPhones, the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 17 Pro, maintained the top 3 spots, whereas the iPhone 16 also made to the list despite being an older generation model. While four iPhone models remained in the top 10, the list was majority dominated by Samsung’s mid-ranger phones from its A series lineup.

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Samsung Galaxy A07 4G and Samsung Galaxy A17 5G secured the fourth and fifth spots among the top-selling smartphones globally. The Samsung Galaxy A56 and Samsung Galaxy A36 also featured among the best-selling models. 

However, it is surprising how Samsung’s premium Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series smartphones still remain relatively niche products compared to its mass-market A-series lineup. The report highlighted that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra narrowly missed the top 10 list. On the other hand, Xiaomi Redmi A5 also secured the tenth spot.

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India’s top smartphone brands for Q1 2026

According to the CyberMedia Research (CMR) report, Vivo is leading the smartphone market in India with a 21% market share, followed by Samsung with 17% of the market share, and Xiaomi retaining the 12% share, ranking among the top three smartphone brands in India.

Despite a strong start, smartphone shipment growth slowed significantly in India, falling by 2% compared to the previous year. One major reason was the rising prices of DRAM and NAND flash memory chips, which made smartphones more expensive to manufacture.

However, the report further highlighted that premium smartphones grew by 25% in India, showing consumers continued buying expensive phones. Whereas, affordable smartphones saw a massive 46% decline, and mid-range phones also dropped by 12%.

Lastly, Apple recorded 9% shipment share in Q1 2026, with the iPhone 16 series contributing to 53% of volumes and the iPhone 17 series captured 28% share.