Samsung’s phone business is benefiting from reach at both ends of the market. Counterpoint Research estimates that the company captured 22% of global smartphone shipments in the first half of 2026, putting it one percentage point ahead of Apple’s 21% share. Samsung’s shipments were up 9% year over year despite a tougher overall market.
That lead was not built on a single successful quarter. Apple led the global market in the first quarter of 2026—its first time leading in a first quarter, according to Counterpoint—but Samsung recovered enough afterward to take the first-half result. Global smartphone shipments fell 7% in the second quarter, reaching their lowest Q2 level in 13 years as higher memory costs put added pressure on affordable phones.
Volume phones and flagships both contributed
Samsung’s performance reflects a portfolio that spans budget-oriented devices and premium flagships. Several Galaxy A-series models ranked among the best-selling Android phones in Q1, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra became the best-selling Android smartphone in Q2—an unusual result in a category typically led by lower-cost Galaxy A phones.
- Galaxy A07: among the best-selling Android phones in Q1 2026.
- Galaxy A17 5G: among the best-selling Android phones in Q1 2026.
- Galaxy A36: among the best-selling Android phones in Q1 2026.
- Galaxy A56: among the best-selling Android phones in Q1 2026.
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: the best-selling Android smartphone in Q2 2026.
A more concentrated global market
Counterpoint’s historical chart compares full-year shares for prior years with first-half 2026 data, so it should not be read as a like-for-like annual comparison. Still, it shows how much of the market has shifted toward the largest vendors.
| Brand | 2019 | 2023 | 2025 | H1 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 20% | 19% | 19% | 22% |
| Apple | 13% | 19% | 20% | 21% |
| Xiaomi | 8% | 12% | 13% | 11% |
| OPPO* | 10% | 13% | 11% | 10% |
| vivo | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Others | 40% | 28% | 28% | 28% |
*Counterpoint’s OPPO grouping also includes OnePlus and realme.
The “Others” category has fallen from 40% of shipments in 2019 to 28% in H1 2026. Taken together, Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo accounted for about 72% of first-half shipments, compared with roughly 59% in 2019. Samsung and Apple alone represented 43%.
Apple has made the largest long-term gain in the chart, rising from 13% in 2019 to 21% in H1 2026. Samsung’s 22% is its highest displayed share, exceeding the 21% shown for 2022. Xiaomi, meanwhile, stood at 11% after reaching 14% in 2021 and 2024, while OPPO declined from a 15% peak in 2021 to 10%.
For buyers, the shipment data reinforces the different strengths of the two leaders: Samsung can pursue volume with Galaxy A devices while also competing for premium demand with Galaxy S and Galaxy Z models, whereas Apple remains concentrated in the premium segment. In a shrinking and increasingly expensive phone market, Samsung’s ability to sell across those tiers is what has put it narrowly back in front—for now.
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