Based on Q2 2026 results, Apple’s iPhone 17 base model became the world’s best-selling smartphone – analysts estimate its share of 6% of the market Counterpoint study. Apple and Samsung each occupy five seats in the top ten in the world, and their combined share accounts for 26% of total global smartphone sales, an increase of 2% over the same period last year.
Contribution from the top ten remained high despite an 11% decline in the overall market as brands repositioned themselves towards high-end and key mass smartphones amid a global RAM shortage. Despite the general decline in the market, Apple sales increased 5% year-on-year – India, Japan and countries in the Middle East and Africa all saw growth; sales in South Korea almost doubled thanks to the iPhone 17 series. The iPhone 17 base model narrowed the gap with the Pro model and became the best-selling model in the world. High demand for higher-end models has also spurred high sales of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max – with additional incentives including exchange programs and promotions offering affordable financing options. Counterpoint analysts said rising smartphone prices have pushed consumers upmarket, further strengthening Apple’s position. Another positive is the iPhone 17e – it comes with MagSafe and increased memory capacity at the same price as a year ago; it’s the most popular model in the US and Japan.
Image source: counterpointresearch.com
The best-selling Android smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. The Galaxy S26 series launched later than last year’s S25, so a large portion of sales occurred in the second quarter. The Galaxy S26 Ultra surpassed its predecessor and accounted for more than half of the series’ sales. Consumers like artificial intelligence and on-screen confidentiality features. Samsung has stepped up its focus on flagship smartphones, stepped up promotions and allocated resources to mitigate revenue declines caused by rising costs. The cheap Samsung Galaxy A also remains popular – all dozens of representatives of the series come with six years or more of software support.
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