CR: iPhone 17 proved to be 14 percent more popular than iPhone 16.
Researchers from Counterpoint Research (CR) confirmed that iPhone 17 sales have surpassed those of the iPhone 16. The report was published on the company's website.
Experts analyzed sales data for the third quarter of 2025 in two of the world's most important markets — the US and China. It turned out that iPhone 17 sales exceeded iPhone 16 sales by 14 percent in the first 10 days since the gadgets were released. Part of the success is attributed to the beginning of a new upgrade cycle: consumers who last purchased a smartphone during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 faced the need to buy a new device.
The base model of Apple's smartphones is showing significant success. iPhone 17 sales increased by 31 percent compared to iPhone 16 sales a year ago. Senior analyst at CR, Mengmeng Zhang, explained this by stating that Apple has significantly improved its most affordable phone. The iPhone 17 model features a 120 Hz display, a 256 GB storage capacity, and a new camera.
The ultra-thin iPhone Air, despite low sales, has proven to be more in demand compared to last year's iPhone 16 Plus. The model, which is not popular in most markets, unexpectedly became a bestseller in China.
