There has practically been zero resistance from Apple’s competition as the company has recorded incredible demand for the iPhone 17 lineup. One could draw a conclusion that this year was the first in a long time that the Cupertino firm finally introduce some worthy upgrades for all four models instead of focusing on just two of its premium offerings.
However, one interesting statistic that can allow Apple to capitalize heavily on global markets is that 315 million devices are now more than four years old. If there was an upgrade to make, the majority of owners would find one particular handset from the four unveiled earlier this month to offer noteworthy features to warrant a purchase.
Out of all the iPhones currently in use, 21 percent of owners now have a valid excuse to upgrade to the iPhone 17
One specific area that Apple finally paid attention to was giving the base model some notable hardware upgrades. We have previously discussed that the ProMotion display on the iPhone 17 is a major deal, making this upgrade, double the internal memory, and its untouched starting price of $799, perhaps the most attractive combination for a customer who does not wish to spend flagship-level funds on a smartphone.
A report from AppleInsider talks about the pent-up demand for the newer models. Out of the 1.5 billion devices in use today, 21 percent of them, or around 315 million units, are more than four years old. While we can go into length as to why customers held onto these devices for as long as they did, the increased age and the fact that Apple went the extra mile with its iPhone 17 launch can transform into a lethal pairing to drive the sales momentum.
According to a previous estimate, Apple will ship 100 million new models this year, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max making up the bulk of the figure. Due to the aforementioned factors, Apple’s fiscal 2026 iPhone shipments of 230 million units have been raised to between 240 million and 250 million, with Webdush Securities commenting that the company’s recovery in China is imminent.
There is also the incoming holiday season where iPhone activation numbers will likely be in voracious frequencies. Whether Apple can maintain this momentum is another discussion, which we will revisit before the year ends, so stay tuned.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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