The New Indian Express ·
Samsung reclaims global smartphone lead as Apple closes gap, Chinese brands lose ground
Samsung has reclaimed the top position in the global smartphone market, while Apple is rapidly closing the gap, even as the overall market faced a sharp downturn in the second quarter of 2026 amid memory shortages and rising smartphone prices.
According to Counterpoint Research, the global smartphone market declined 7% year-on-year in Q2 2026. However, frontloaded shipments by some smartphone makers helped soften the impact of the downturn.
Samsung recorded a 23% market share in Q2, growing 9% year-on-year, supported by favourable pricing and competitive market dynamics. Apple followed closely with a 21% share, its highest Q2 share, after shipments grew 13% year-on-year, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 series.