ITmedia Mobile reported that four models of the iPhone 17 series made it into the top 10 in the July 2026 edition of au Online Shop’s “Smartphone/Mobile Best Selling Rankings.” 10 months have passed since its release, and sales of the iPhone 17 have not slowed down, even though the announcement of the next iPhone 18 series is expected to be nearing. For readers who are considering a new purchase, this data shows that the current iPhone 17 is not on the verge of becoming obsolete, but is still a leading seller.
iPhone 17 Pro Max rises to 9th place
The key points of the July 2026 best-selling au online shop rankings reported by ITmedia Mobile are as follows.
- Four models of the iPhone 17 series are in the top 10
- “iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB)” debuts at 9th place from outside the ranking
- “Xperia 1 VIII”, which first appeared in 2nd place in June, has fallen to 7th place
- Five models moved up one rank after ranking 2nd to 6th last month.
What I would like to note is that the iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB), which is the highest in the series and has a high price, has moved from being out of the rankings to 9th place at this time. We can see that demand is expanding not only for the standard model but also for the high-priced Pro model.
Xperia 1 VIII moves from 2nd to 7th place, has initial demand run its course?
In June’s ranking, Sony’s flagship “Xperia 1 VIII” was doing well, taking second place for the first time. However, in July, the ranking dropped to 7th place, and the lower-ranking models from the previous month were moved up by that amount.
It appears that the fan base has finished purchasing the product immediately after its release, and the momentum has calmed down. While Xperia, the representative high-end Android model in Japan, has fallen behind, the iPhone 17 series continues to remain in the top 10 with multiple models despite its release, which once again shows the strength of the iPhone in the Japanese market.
Why iPhone 17 is selling well even before iPhone 18 is announced
More than 10 months have passed since the iPhone 17 series was released in September 2025, and if things go as usual, the next iPhone 18 series is expected to be announced in September 2026. However, the reason why it continues to sell seems to be due to both supply and price issues.
On the supply side, the iPhone 17 series has been doing well since its launch. Mass production of the iPhone 17 series started one week earlier than last year, and as it was reported that mass production would be in full swing by July, mass production was brought forward and stock after release was stable, and even popular models remain easy to obtain. The ability to buy when you want it seems to be supporting sales even after a long time since its release.
In terms of price, the final stage of a model is a time when carriers tend to offer generous discounts. It seems that there is a movement to purchase the current model while the conditions are favorable, without waiting for the announcement of the new model. The fact that the expensive Pro Max (256GB) entered 9th place during this period suggests that there are many buyers who have decided that now is the time to buy.
Help you decide whether to buy now or wait for iPhone 18
For our readers in Japan, this ranking will help you think about when it’s time to replace your car. If you value the latest features, you should definitely wait for the announcement of the iPhone 18 series, which is expected to be around a month from now if things go as usual. On the other hand, if price and ease of acquisition are important to you, the current iPhone 17 series is a strong choice because of its stable supply and easy discount conditions. This result shows that many au users actually make this decision.
Specifications and related news for the iPhone 17 series are summarized on the iPhone 17 summary page. Even if you want to make a decision after seeing the iPhone 18 announcement, it’s a good idea to keep track of information on the current model as a basis for comparison.
Source: ITmedia Mobile
Source: iPhone Mania
