Apple, Samsung dominate global smartphone rankings as top 10 models take 26% of Q2 sales: Counterpoint

Apple and Samsung accounted for all 10 positions in the global list of best-selling smartphones in the second quarter of 2026, as the top models increased their combined contribution to 26% of worldwide smartphone unit sales, according to Counterpoint Research.

The figure marks the highest share for a June quarter, rising two percentage points from a year earlier, even as the global smartphone market contracted 11% YoY. The shift reflects manufacturers concentrating resources on a smaller number of models as rising memory costs and supply constraints make broader portfolios more difficult to sustain.

The leading smartphone model alone accounted for 6% of global unit sales during the quarter, while its two premium variants occupied the next two positions. Samsung also placed two models in the top 10, with its latest flagship emerging as the company's best-selling model and moving five places higher than its predecessor.

RAM shortage reshapes smartphone portfolios

The concentration comes against a worsening memory supply squeeze. Counterpoint's broader market data shows that global smartphone shipments fell to their lowest second-quarter level since 2013, with DRAM and NAND shortages pushing up component costs and weighing particularly heavily on lower-priced devices.

Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan said the leading smartphone maker's unit sales increased 5% YoY, despite the wider market contraction, with growth across India, Japan and the Middle East and Africa, while sales in South Korea nearly doubled.

He attributed the performance to stronger demand for premium devices, alongside trade-in programmes, promotions and financing options that helped offset higher prices. Rising smartphone prices are also encouraging consumers to move towards higher-end models, further increasing the contribution of premium devices to industry volumes.

Premium demand holds up as costs rise

The second major smartphone maker's latest flagship became the best-selling Android smartphone in Q2, with the model accounting for more than half of its series' sales. Counterpoint Senior Analyst Harshit Rastogi said the delayed launch of the latest series shifted more sales into the June quarter, helping the flagship outperform its predecessor.

He added that the company had increased its focus on flagship smartphones, using promotions and targeted resource allocation to manage revenue pressures arising from higher costs.

At the same time, mid-range models continued to feature prominently in the top 10, supported by affordability, availability and value. Counterpoint noted that longer replacement cycles are also making software support more important, with the listed mid-range models offering six years or more of software updates.

The data points to a smartphone market increasingly dependent on a smaller pool of high-volume models as manufacturers navigate weaker demand, elevated component costs and a prolonged memory shortage.