On the subject of US and UK smartphone gross sales in 2026, Apple goes to win. Based on Counterpoint Research, Apple achieved half of all cell shipments within the US in Q3 2025. Within the UK, Uswitch reviews that Apple had a market share of 48.5% in September 2025. And whereas Apple’s lead would possibly fluctuate, it has been fixed in each nations for years, and is overwhelmingly prone to proceed.
Regardless of this near-certainty, Apple spent 2025 pushing the iPhone ahead in a number of methods – some overdue, and a few surprisingly forward-thinking. The iPhone 17 is the most effective base-model iPhone in years, the iPhone 17 Professional Max has begun its reign because the best iPhone and best camera phone, and the iPhone Air made waves as Apple’s first skinny and lightweight flagship and the primary actual challenger to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max obtained a flashy new 48MP 4x telephoto digital camera, whereas the usual iPhone 17 inherited the iPhone 16 Pro’s 48MP ultra-wide digital camera. Moreover, your entire iPhone 17 sequence obtained massive battery upgrades, in addition to a brand new 18MP Middle Stage selfie digital camera. Good work, Apple!
As talked about, this was all particularly impactful for the usual iPhone 17, which now sports activities two high-resolution rear cameras, Apple’s cool new selfie digital camera, a 120Hz refresh price panel, and a big sufficient battery to energy by the day confidently (efficiency continues to be spectacular because of the A19 chipset, however this has been the case for a number of generations now).
In different phrases, after years of leaning on the smoothness and familiarity of iOS, the iPhone 17 has lastly caught as much as the overall commonplace of the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 10 in terms of {hardware}.
Now, as mentioned, Apple doesn’t actually have a enterprise crucial to maintain up with Samsung and Google‘s cell {hardware} (past following the wants of the common person) – however I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t anticipate extra from the world’s most respected cellphone maker.
For me, the important thing factor is to maintain making the base-model iPhone higher. Regardless of my reward and our glowing iPhone 17 review, I don’t assume Apple’s work is completed in terms of its commonplace mannequin handset, and the iPhone 17 Professional and iPhone 17 Professional Max are already so highly effective that I do not assume Apple actually wants to fret about offering an enormous improve subsequent yr. So, what ought to Cupertino add to its commonplace flagship?
You may level to the iPhone’s 8GB of RAM as lagging behind the 12GB supplied by the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 10, however Apple is famously fairly good at making much less RAM go additional. Then there’s Apple Intelligence, which is noticeably much less highly effective than both Galaxy AI or Google Gemini, however could be boosted with over-the-air updates.
No, for me, the reply is easier and extra apparent – give the base-model iPhone a telephoto digital camera.
I’m not saying that Apple’s $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 handset wants the iPhone 17 Professional’s 48MP 4x digital camera – it’s in Apple’s curiosity to maintain a ways between the common iPhone and Professional fashions, and the corporate usually touts the Professional’s zoom functionality as a key purpose to improve.
However contemplating the Google Pixel 10’s brand-new 5x telephoto digital camera and the Samsung Galaxy S25’s trusty 3x telephoto digital camera, the iPhone 17 is outclassed on each fronts in terms of optical zoom. It’s one of many final issues a fan or critic can level to as objectively worse on the iPhone – in most different areas, the iPhone is on par or forward of its Android rivals.
Maybe Apple may equip the iPhone 18 with a telephoto digital camera lifted from an older mannequin if it should maintain its value ladder intact – the iPhone 14 Professional’s 12MP 3x telephoto digital camera, as an illustration, may very well be match, giving commonplace iPhone customers the flexibility to take higher-quality photographs at vary, or extra pure portraits as a result of flatter lens.
I’d additionally prefer to see the usual iPhone proceed to obtain battery updates – the iPhone 17 sports activities a cell with an approximate 3,700mAh capability, which continues to be smaller than the Galaxy S25’s 4,000mAh battery, and far smaller than the Google Pixel 10’s 4,970mAh cell. The iPhone 17 carried out nicely in our Future Labs battery take a look at, providing simply over 11:37 of battery life – which undoubtedly qualifies for “all-day” standing, however doesn’t fairly match the Samsung Galaxy S25 (11:54) or Google Pixel 10 (12:25).
So, that’s my take – Apple ought to maintain specializing in the base-model iPhone subsequent yr (or in 2027, which some rumors recommend is when the iPhone 18 will arrive). One other generational step just like the one we obtained in 2025 would make the iPhone 18 a real rival to Samsung and Google on the specs sheet in addition to the gross sales charts.
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