- A report claims that the iPhone 17 is selling much better than the iPhone 17
- The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are also proving popular
- The iPhone Air remains a ‘niche’, despite selling more than the iPhone 16 Plus
The iPhone Air is the new face of Apple’s iPhone 17 line, but according to some recent sales figures it is far from the most popular model. That honor goes to its Pro-level siblings, however, one model this year has made a particularly big impression on buyers: the entry-level iPhone 17.
According to analysts at Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 17 series is much more popular than its predecessors, the iPhone 16, with sales up 14% over last year’s model in its first 10 days of availability in the US and China.
The picture is even better when we focus on the base model in China, where Apple has sold almost twice as many iPhone 17 phones compared to the iPhone 16. That suggests users are flocking to the base model and seeing it as a more attractive option than last year’s equivalent. Combined data from the US and China also shows that while the base iPhone 16 accounted for 19% of the series’ sales last year, for the base iPhone 17 that figure jumped to 22%.
At the same time, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max account for the majority of iPhone 17 series sales, Counterpoint Research claims. This could be because operators have offered increasingly generous subsidies to entice customers to upgrade.
Meanwhile, the iPhone Air is off to a modest start, with research claiming its short pre-order period and high price compared to the iPhone 17 make it a “niche” option for now. However, Counterpoint Research also claims that the iPhone Air is slightly more popular than the iPhone 16 Plus, implying that Apple might have been wise to ditch the Plus edition and replace it with the Air.
Great value for money
Part of the reason for the iPhone 17’s popularity could be its suite of upgrades compared to the iPhone 16. It has a faster chip, an improved display, larger storage, and a better front-facing camera. At the same time, the price remains the same, making it an attractive option with better value for money than ever.
On the other hand, the iPhone Air’s problems could be due to how close it is in price to the iPhone 17 Pro: just $100 separates the two models. While it has a much thinner and lighter frame, it also lacks the high-end chip and sophisticated camera system found in the iPhone 17 Pro.
Overall, the iPhone 17 series seems to be selling quite well, with the iPhone 17 and Pro-level devices leading the way. While the iPhone Air isn’t exactly having problems, it doesn’t seem to be flying off the shelves either, and that’s something we’ve heard before.
There is some hope for Apple in the fact that the iPhone Air is not expected to be available in China until late October. While there’s no doom and gloom yet, Apple will surely hope it ends up being more popular there than elsewhere.
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