With 2026 first quarter data in hand, you can see the impact of Apple’s moves to simplify the iPhone lineup – and offer annually-updated entry-level phones.
Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) notes that five of the current seven models were released in the past ten months, including the price-leader 17e, just launched in March, near the end of this past quarter.
The streamlined lineup succeeded in moving even more buyers to the most premium models. In fact, the gang at CIRP says they won’t be surprised if the old “number” base phone (i.e., iPhone 17) continues to lose prominence in favor of the Pro, Pro Max and possibly even more premium models.
Apple began selling the new iPhone 17 models on September 19, 2025. At that time, Apple updated the base, Pro, and Pro Max models, and introduced the new 17 Air model, which filled the slot formerly held by Plus models. The iPhone 17e, which replaced last year’s iPhone 16e, came to market on March 11, 2026. And only two legacy models, the 2024 vintage iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, are still sold new.
The five current iPhone 17 models accounted for an unprecedented 82% of sales, the highest share CIRP has seen for the current models in a March quarter.
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