Samsung outpaces Apple in the smartphone market
Samsung Corporation of South Korea has once again taken the lead in the global smartphone market by the end of the second quarter of 2026, according to a report by Zamin.uz.
Just a few months ago, Apple was leading the rankings, but this time the company was forced to yield its position to its main rival. A new report from Counterpoint Research indicates that the balance of power in the tech world has shifted significantly.
These figures are widely reported in international media outlets. According to the study data, Samsung's share of the global market reached 24 percent, making it the best performance among all smartphone manufacturers.
Analysts point to the Galaxy S26 flagship series, unveiled in March, as the main driver of this growth. In particular, the Galaxy S26 Ultra model has become the most popular device among consumers.
This model has earned users' trust thanks to its technical capabilities and reliability. Although Apple has lost the top spot, the company continues to grow in absolute terms.
The US tech giant increased smartphone shipments by 3 percent compared to the same period last year and maintained its quarterly record, namely a 20 percent market share. The iPhone 17 model remains the best-selling smartphone worldwide.
However, a number of external factors hindered Apple from achieving even better results. Specifically, delays in memory device shipments and weakening demand for older iPhone generations, as well as a slowdown in sales in the Chinese market, negatively affected the company's performance.
Industry experts also link this shift to the global shortage of components. The rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies has sharply increased demand for high-speed memory devices.
This has led to a shortage of technical parts worldwide. Manufacturers have been forced to allocate available resources only to the newest and most expensive models, which has driven up smartphone prices and reduced overall demand.
Samsung is in a relatively advantageous position in this situation due to its own memory chip production capabilities. Despite price increases for several models at the beginning of the year, the company kept the price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra unchanged.
It is precisely this price stability that has been one of the key factors ensuring the successful sales of this device. Nevertheless, Samsung's leadership is estimated to be temporary.
Analysts predict that competition will intensify further in the second half of the year, especially in the autumn months. Traditionally, Apple unveils a new generation of iPhone 18 smartphones in the fall, which could shift the market balance once again.
Overall, 2026 is expected to be a challenging year for the entire smartphone industry. Due to constraints in the component supply chain and rising prices, the growth rate of smartphone sales in the global market may slow down.
