Apple’s iPhone 17 has topped the list of the world’s best-selling smartphones for the April-June quarter of 2026, grabbing 6% of all global smartphone unit sales, according to fresh data from Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. Right behind it on the list are two more Apple devices, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro, rounding out the top three spots. Samsung, however, wasn’t far behind either. The company managed to place two of its Galaxy S series phones in the overall top 10, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra standing out as Samsung’s top-performing model for the quarter – climbing an impressive five ranks compared to where its predecessor stood a year earlier.Together, Apple and Samsung claimed five spots each within the top 10 list, jointly making up 26% of all smartphones sold worldwide during the quarter, registering a rise of 2% compared to the same period last year. Interestingly, this combined share for the top 10 phones turned out to be the highest ever recorded for a June-ending quarter, even as the broader smartphone market shrank by 11% overall.Much of this concentration is being attributed to smartphone brands narrowing their focus toward flagship and high-volume models, largely as a way to work around the ongoing global shortage of RAM chips.
Full list of World’s Top 10 best-selling smartphones (Q2 2026)
iPhone 17 5GiPhone 17 Pro Max 5GiPhone 17 Pro 5GGalaxy S26 Ultra 5GGalaxy A07 4GGalaxy A17 5GiPhone 17E 5GGalaxy A17 4GGalaxy S26 5GiPhone 16 5G
Why Apple’s iPhone 17 series is dominating
Speaking on Apple’s strong showing, Counterpoint’s senior analyst Karn Chauhan noted that Apple’s overall unit sales grew 5% year-on-year, even as the wider smartphone market contracted.“iPhone sales increased across India, Japan, and the MEA, and nearly doubled in South Korea in Q2 2026, driven by the iPhone 17 series. The base iPhone 17 model remained the best-selling smartphone during the quarter, supported by significant upgrades that narrowed the gap with the Pro models,” he said.“Meanwhile, strong premium demand drove the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max sales, aided by trade-in programs, promotions, and accessible financing options that improved affordability. Rising smartphone prices also pushed consumers towards the higher-end segments, further strengthening Apple’s competitive position,” Chauhan added.The iPhone 17e also played a role in keeping Apple’s presence strong on the list, thanks to the addition of MagSafe support and increased internal storage, all while holding on to the same price point as the previous year’s model.
How Samsung Galaxy S26 series performed
Turning to Samsung’s lineup, senior analyst Harshit Rastogi highlighted that the Galaxy S26 Ultra emerged as the best-selling Android smartphone globally for the quarter, marking the first time an ultra-premium Android device has led Android sales specifically during a June-ending quarter.“Meanwhile, the later launch of the Galaxy S26 series compared with the Galaxy S25 series shifted more sales into Q2, the Galaxy S26 Ultra outperformed its predecessor and accounted for more than half of the series’ sales. Industry-first privacy display along with enhanced AI capabilities differentiate the smartphone from its peers. Samsung has further increased its focus on flagship smartphones, boosting promotions and strategically allocating resources to mitigate the revenue decline amid rising costs,” Rastogi pointed out.
Why the Galaxy A series continues to sell well
Samsung’s budget and mid-range Galaxy A series phones also held their ground on the list, due to their affordability, broad availability and strong overall value for money. It’s worth noting that every single Galaxy A series device that made it into the top 10 comes with at least six years of software support – a factor that aligns well with the growing trend of people holding on to their phones for longer before upgrading.
