iPhone Base Models Remain Best Sellers Despite Pro Max Appeal

Apple’s base model iPhones accounted for 42% of smartphone sales this year, but iPhone Pro Max devices stand out as the best-selling model, according to new data. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).

The report reveals an interesting sales breakdown across Apple’s iPhone lineup, but the data needs to be interpreted with caution due to Apple’s tiered product strategy. That’s because the company sells several generations of base model iPhones at different price points at the same time, but only offers a single (current) generation Pro and Pro Max model.

Essentially, this means that the base model’s 42% share represents combined sales across multiple iPhone generations.

Looking at the models one by one, iPhone Pro Max accounts for 26% of sales, followed by Pro with 19% and Plus with 13%. The performance of the Plus model is particularly notable given that it will replace the smaller iPhone mini in 2022 and has since surpassed the market share of its predecessor.

It is also notable that the findings show a clear shift in consumer preferences towards larger screens. When Apple introduced its first Plus-sized iPhone, the iPhone 6 Plus, in 2014, many people questioned whether consumers would prefer larger phones. However, today the combined share of Plus and Pro Max models accounts for 39% of iPhone sales.

CIRP’s analysis also highlights the financial impact of larger models. Both the Plus and Pro Max variants contribute significantly to the iPhone’s average selling price and gross margin, and despite having similar internal components, they are priced higher than their standard-sized counterparts. Note that these figures do not include sales of Apple’s entry-level iPhone SE.

The findings show that Apple has successfully diversified its iPhone lineup to appeal to different user preferences and price points, while maintaining strong sales across all size categories. As CIRP notes, Apple’s “jumbo phone experiment” has been a success. But Apple is said to be thinner but not bigger iPhone 17 “Air” model Time will tell whether he will follow this strategy next year.