Bold claim: the top smartphone story of the week is not just holding onto its throneāitās pulling ahead as we near its official reveal. Now, the Galaxy S26 Ultra isnāt merely the most popular phone in our database; itās starting to establish a lead, signaling that anticipation is turning into momentum.
Trailing close, but with a dramatic entrance of its own, is Apple poised to debut the iPhone 17eāsaid to be the most affordable option in Appleās lineup and expected to go official next week. If true, this could shake up pricing expectations and broaden Appleās appeal.
Following them, the Galaxy A56 lands in third place, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra sits at fourth. Rounding out the top five, the iPhone 17 Pro Max ensures that the upper tier of the chart is dominated by two major players: Samsung and Apple.
Samsung Galaxy A56
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The Redmi Turbo 5 Max stands strong in sixth place, ahead of yet another Samsung entryāthe Galaxy A17.
The Redmi Note 15 Pro and Redmi Note 15 have each slipped a notch, placing eighth and ninth respectively.
Concluding this weekās chart is the standard iPhone 17 in tenth position.
Discussion spark: With the S26 Ultra widening its lead and Apple potentially expanding its affordable segment with the iPhone 17e, which strategy do you think will drive global sales moreāflagship horsepower or budget-friendly options? Do you believe Samsung or Apple will push further into mid-range territory in 2026, and why? Share your take in the comments, and tell us which device youād pick this week and why.
