Apple captured 65% of global premium smartphone unit sales in the first half of 2026, according to a new Counterpoint Research report. Counterpoint defines premium phones as models with a wholesale average selling price of at least $600.
The segment grew 5% year over year and reached a record 29% of all smartphone sales, up from 25% in H1 2025. Apple’s premium sales rose 9%, driven by the iPhone 17 series—especially the base iPhone 17.
Apple recovered some share, but China remains a pressure point
Apple’s 65% share is up from 63% in H1 2025, though it remains well below the 74% it held in H1 2022. Samsung stayed at 19%, giving the two companies a combined 84% of premium unit sales.
Counterpoint attributes Apple’s longer-term decline mainly to stronger competition in China, where Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo have expanded their flagship lineups. OPPO recorded the fastest growth in the premium segment at 69% year over year, while vivo grew 20%. The report did not disclose their individual market shares.
Higher component costs are pushing buyers upmarket
Counterpoint says rising memory and component costs are hitting low- and mid-range phones harder. As those devices become more expensive, the gap between a mid-range Android phone and an older or discounted flagship becomes smaller.
Premium brands can also absorb more of those costs through higher margins. The shift stands out against a weak broader market: Apple reached a record 20% global shipment share in Q2 even as total smartphone shipments fell 11% year over year, according to separate Counterpoint estimates.
Financing, trade-ins, and buyback plans are doing more of the work too. Apple recently launched its Apple Upgrade leasing program in the US, while Samsung has expanded its Galaxy Forever program to more markets.
Counterpoint expects Apple and Samsung to retain their premium-market lead, helped by their ecosystems, brand strength, and position in developed markets. In China, however, Huawei and Xiaomi are well placed to keep gaining ground as their premium lineups grow.
