Apple placed seven of the 10 best-selling smartphones in 2025, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max second only to the iPhone 16.
Who they are
Pro Max functions in this coverage as the premium, larger-format designation attached most often to Apple’s iPhone Pro line, rather than as a standalone person or company. Stories use it to track Apple’s flagship hardware launches, camera and design changes, repairability, and market standing; the label also appears on rival devices from Xiaomi and Huawei.
The recent arc
Coverage peaked around Apple’s 2021 iPhone 13 Pro cycle, when macro photography and ProRes were prominent themes, then settled into recurring launch-and-performance coverage. The major recent product beats were Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max unveiling in September 2024, featuring larger displays, Camera Control, A18 Pro and upgraded cameras, followed by the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max launch in September 2025 with an aluminum unibody, vapor-chamber thermal management and three 48MP rear cameras.
More recently, the thread has shifted from specifications toward commercial position and the next product transition. Counterpoint said the iPhone 16 Pro Max was among the world’s best-selling phones in 2025, while Bloomberg reported that Apple’s anticipated foldable iPhone could be announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
The tension
The coverage circles Apple’s effort to preserve a premium flagship lead through increasingly visible hardware differentiation while competing in a crowded high-end market. Samsung is the clearest recurring rival in sales rankings, while Xiaomi’s 17 Pro Max and Huawei’s Mate 80 Pro Max show that the “Pro Max” framing has spread beyond Apple; camera systems, chips, durability, thermals and large-screen design are the recurring competitive levers.
Why it matters
The Pro Max line is a useful indicator of whether Apple can turn annual flagship upgrades into both premium demand and a broader product-family strategy. Its strong placement in recent rankings supports the commercial importance of the top-end iPhone, but a foldable launch alongside a future Pro Max model could test whether Apple expands that tier or redistributes attention and demand across two ultra-premium form factors.
Related: Apple · iPhone · Samsung · Apple unveils iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max with larger 6.3" and 6.9" scre · Apple announces the 6.1" iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7" iPhone 15 Pro Max, wit
Pro Max has appeared in 58 articles since 2019-09.
Coverage peaked in 2023Q3 with 6 articles.
Frequently mentioned alongside Apple, iPhone, Samsung, iPhones.