The market seems to disagree, as the 16 was widly more popular, despite costing more.
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iPhone 16 Was World's Best-Selling Smartphone in Q3 2025
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The market seems to disagree, as the 16 was widly more popular, despite costing more.
🤷♂️
It’s also what deals are available and what carriers push people towards. The majority of people still get their iPhones from their carrier.
I would personally be fine with the 16e, because I know about, but almost no mainstream carrier highlighted or promoted it, and Apple doesn’t advertise it, at all.
I mean. Let’s be honest. Every carrier is giving them away for a few months before the 17 announcement. I’m not shocked.
From an Apple standpoint, it's still a huge success, since it beat all the other non-Apple devices.
It means that they have covered the spectrum of the users' needs better than any other manufacturer. In fact, without the 16e, they would have sold less phones in Q3.
When the 16 was the "middle" I agreed with you, but clearly we were in the minority.
All that changed with the 17, however. Getting the pro display, two upgraded cameras, double the storage and up to 50% more battery life (versus the 16) is huge. I can see no earthly reason to buy a 16 now when the 17 costs just US$100 more.
I never thought I would use the ultra wide camera, but I've surprised myself. I actually take ultra wide shots often enough that I would miss it if I went to an 'e' model with just the one camera. I'll still be getting a real camera with a long zoom lens when I retire, but the phone will suffice for most wide shots.
I’ve seen someone using a foldable Galaxy. It already showed wear and slightly deteriorated image quality in the fold area.
I would suspect that a lot of people, when their old 'default/regular' iPhone dies, just ask their carrier/apple/whoever for the new 'default/regular' iPhone!
It's pretty amazing that the regular 16 is so popular - not on these forums though!
And the 17 is a way way better deal, so it'll be interesting to see how that does - very very well, I would expect.
...Poor Plus.
No matter, the Air will step up and take the 16 Plus's umm... (last) place this year!
YoY the 16e has more than done its job. The 14 was the 2024 midrange choice and the 16e held itself better in 2025 against the Android competition, probably because just it brought in just enough "new" content to attract buyers, who at that price range are more likely to settle for less. It has a slot and filled it.
The most interesting thing about the 2025 numbers is there isn’t a single Galaxy flagship device on the list. With the exception of the Galaxy A56 (a mid-range device) the other 4 Samsung phones are all budget devices with prices ranging from $120-200.
Now you know where those Samsung sales numbers come from when people say they sell the most smartphones. All low-end devices.
My wife and I have iPhone 16's and they are much worse than the previous iPhones we had. Gripes are the sound quality of the speaker compared to previous models (as far as tiny phone speakers go) as well as nearly every tap registers as a swipe for some dumb reason (both phones). I miss my iPhone SE 2nd gen. 😩
Meanwhile, Marques Brownlee just revealed his Smartphone Awards 2025 giving the iPhone 17 as the MVP and "most improved", while the iPhone Air justifiably won "Best Design" Good to see Apple stopping marginalizing the regular iPhone as a lesser to the iPhone Pro. That had hurt the brand more than anything. The iPhone had ALWAYS been the best of the best, and the Pro, for professionals. Regardless great phones all around. The Apple marketing department on the other hand has been dropping the ball big time.
I suspect this trend will continue and perhaps be even more pronounced next year. Demand for the 17 Pros (especially the Max) ran high at release but there is sustained demand for base 17 which is likely to continue well into 2026 as it continues to be the best all round phone for folks looking to upgrade from an older iPhone.
What is truly impressive is the 17 Pro Max breaking into the top 10 despite being on sale for less than a month of that whole quarter
It didn't when they had a Mini on the lineup. That's why they don't make one anymore.
The 16 is a good phone and its lower price now should help in bringing in more sales for Apple. But I feel it is better to spend a bit more and buy the base 17 which is a fantastic iPhone and the best base model in many years. As for the 17 Pro Max, the camera upgrades are significant. Bought mine in Orange and very happy with it.
The 16e is popular as a corporate phone. The company where my brother works upgraded their sales folks to the 16e from the last SE version.
You forget that the 16 came out 5-6 months before the 16e, so by the time it was out most people had bought or upgraded to 16 already.