# iPhone 17 breaks records as most popular ever

> New research shows the iPhone 17 generated more first-year revenue than any iPhone before it.
- Title: iPhone 17 breaks records as most popular ever | Shortify
- Summary: New research shows the iPhone 17 generated more first-year revenue than any iPhone before it. The iPhone 17 sold over $170 billion in its first year, making…
- Keywords: iphone 17, apple, revenue records, smartphone sales, counterpoint research, iphone 18, iphone duo, pricing increase, first-year sales, iPhone, breaks, records
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/tech/iphones/dollar-for-dollar-this-is-the-most-popular-iphone-ever-according-to-new-research
- Published: 2026-09-17T07:11:59+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: iphone 17, apple, revenue records, smartphone sales, counterpoint research, iphone 18, iphone duo, pricing increase, first-year sales
## iPhone 17 smashes revenue record
The iPhone 17 generated over $170 billion in first-year sales, the highest in iPhone history according to market research firm Counterpoint.

> more than $170 billion of iPhone 17s sold were in its first year, which is the highest first-year revenue in the iPhone's entire history
## Price matters less than you think
The base iPhone 17 costs nearly twice what the original 2007 iPhone did, yet it still outsold previous generations by revenue, suggesting consumers value newer features over cost.
## iPhone 17 beat iPhone 16 by 11 percent
The iPhone 17 series generated 11 percent more revenue than the iPhone 16 in its first year, confirming Apple's own claims about record popularity.
## Pro models got pricier this fall
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launched at higher prices than their predecessors, while the base iPhone 17 also increased by about $100 in the US for the first time in five years.
## No new base model iPhone 18
Apple skipped releasing a base model iPhone 18, keeping the iPhone 17 as a current option alongside the new Pro and Pro Max models.
## Folding iPhone finally arrives
Apple announced the iPhone Duo, its first folding smartphone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with a variable-aperture camera.
## iPhone turns 20 in 2027
The iPhone will celebrate its 20th anniversary in fall 2027, with the iPhone 17's success setting the stage for that milestone.
## Key takeaway

The iPhone 17 sold over $170 billion in its first year, making it the highest-grossing iPhone generation despite higher prices across the lineup.