Apple iPhone 17 Sales Rise Amid Samsung Galaxy S26 Delay

https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-17-sales-rise-amid-samsung-galaxy-s26-delay-2026-5

Publish Date: 2026-05-17 05:27:00

The iPhone 17 is on a hot streak for Apple while competitors cool down.

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Apple’s iPhone sales volume in the US grew 1.3% year over year in the first quarter, while the broader smartphone market fell 5.7%, according to market research firm Counterpoint Research. Samsung’s later-than-usual launch of the Galaxy S26 helped give the iPhone a leg up.

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series was delayed from a typical January release to March 11, giving Apple a head start in smartphone sales for the quarter, market research firm Counterpoint Research said. Last year, the Galaxy S25 was unveiled in January and went on sale in February.

“When one brand delays a flagship launch, it opens a window of opportunity to fill that vacuum,” Tyler Graham, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, said in a statement. “Apple did just that.”

Apple has been racking up smartphone wins since it launched the iPhone 17 in September. The company said it had a “historic” holiday quarter for iPhone demand last year, and that strength continued into the March quarter, with 22% growth in iPhone sales.

Aside from delayed launches, economic challenges for consumers also contributed to declines in the overall US smartphone market during the period, according to Counterpoint Research.

Apple’s pricing strategy helped it keep its edge in the smartphone sales battle. The iPhone 17e, Apple’s entry-level smartphone, stayed at $599 — the…

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