Apple captured 65% of the global premium smartphone market in the first half of 2026, as the wider premium segment's share of overall smartphone sales climbed to a record 29%.
That's according to Counterpoint Research's Handset Model Sales Tracker, which tracks smartphones with a wholesale average selling price of $600 or more. Apple's premium segment revenue grew 9% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, which Counterpoint attributed to strong sales of the iPhone 17 lineup, particularly the base model.
Even with that growth, Apple's share of the premium segment has slipped from 74% in the first half of 2022. Counterpoint pins the decline on intensifying competition in China, the largest premium smartphone market, where Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo have all sharpened their flagship offerings, pulling more Chinese consumers toward domestic premium brands.
Across the broader premium segment, unit sales grew 5% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, with the segment's overall market share up from 25% in the first half of 2025 and 20% in the first half of 2022. Counterpoint says the latest gains stem largely from rising memory and component costs, which have hit low- and mid-tier phones harder than flagship models.
Premium brands, including Apple, were better positioned to absorb the higher costs through wider margins and fewer promotions, helping sustain demand even as the broader market grew more challenging. The share gains between the first half of 2022 and the first half of 2025, by contrast, were driven mainly by a broader premiumization trend as consumers traded up to higher-end devices.
Counterpoint Research said the narrowing price gap between mid-tier and premium phones is accelerating that shift, making flagship devices, including older or discounted iPhones, a more attractive upgrade for consumers:
As mid-segment Android smartphone prices rise, the price gap with premium devices, especially older or discounted flagship models, is narrowing. This trend makes flagship smartphones a better upgrade option for consumers. To support this shift, OEMs are expanding financing, trade-in and buyback programs to improve affordability. Samsung has also expanded its Galaxy Forever program to several markets to make flagship devices more accessible.
Samsung remains the only other brand in Apple's league, holding 19% of the premium segment after 3% year-over-year growth, despite a later launch for the Galaxy S26 series. Behind the two leaders, Chinese brands showed the sharpest growth off a much smaller base: OPPO grew 69% on the strength of its Find X9 series, while vivo grew 20% as the X300 series outperformed its predecessor.
Counterpoint expects Apple to keep its lead alongside Samsung, citing Apple's strength in developed markets, its integrated ecosystem, and its brand value, even as Huawei and Xiaomi are seen as well positioned to keep gaining share in China. Counterpoint added that premiumization "will be the key strategy in the smartphone industry as the focus shifts from shipment volumes to value and profit maximization."
