In the first half of 2026, Samsung secured the top spot in the global smartphone market with a 22% share. The company increased its shipments by 9% year-over-year, even as the overall market contracted by 7%.
Samsung outperformed Apple by a 1% margin in the first half of 2026, holding 22% of the market compared to Apple's 21%. In the second quarter alone, Samsung's market share reached 23%.
Growth was particularly strong in North America, where Samsung's share rose from 26% in the first quarter to 30% in the second. High demand for the Galaxy S26 flagship series helped the company offset rising component costs.
Xiaomi maintained the third position with an 11% market share, though its shipments fell by 26% year-over-year. Oppo and Vivo followed with 10% and 8% shares, respectively.
Analysts project global smartphone shipments to drop by 12% to 14.3% in 2026, totaling approximately 1.097 billion units. However, the total market value is expected to grow by 12% to $651.6 billion, with the average selling price nearing $594.
Consumer preference is shifting toward premium devices. The share of smartphones priced under $200 is declining, while the segment for devices costing $800 or more is projected to reach 28.4% by 2027.
