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The projected record comes as Apple is expected to launch the higher-end 18 Pro models this fall alongside its first foldable iPhone, while delaying the standard 18 until spring 2027.
The 17, named the world's best-selling smartphone in the first quarter of 2026 by market research firm Counterpoint Research, went on sale in September 2025. If the expected launch schedule holds, it would remain Apple's latest standard flagship for about 18 months, according to tech site 9to5Mac.
The current longevity record belongs to the 4, which went on sale in June 2010 and remained Apple's flagship until the 4S arrived in October 2011, a span of nearly 16 months.
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Apple's iPhone 17 Pro (L) and Pro Max. Photo by VnExpress/Tuan Hung |
The 11 Pro came closest to matching that record, remaining Apple's leading model for about 13 months after the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the launch of the 12 Pro in 2020.
At the other end of the spectrum, the X had one of Apple's shortest flagship runs. It went on sale in November 2017 and was replaced by the XS in September 2018, after about 10 months.
The 17's extended run could also coincide with a price increase. Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital said in a Weibo post last week that Apple could raise the price of the model, which currently starts at US$799, tech site AppleInsider reported.
Meanwhile, the standard 18 is rumored to become Apple's most expensive non-foldable smartphone, with a starting price of 11,000 yuan ($1,625) in China, putting it in the same price range as some premium foldable phones, according to tech website PhoneArena.
