Samsung and Apple were the only companies to grow market share in a Q3 smartphone market that dropped 20% year-over-year. Samsung led with 23% share, up from 19%, while Apple reached 22%, up from 18%. Xiaomi, Oppo, and vivo all lost ground.
Counterpoint Research called it the worst Q3 in 14 years, citing 'continued memory shortages' — though prices, not availability, are the real issue. Global smartphone prices rose 20% this year. Samsung's gains came from strong early demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8, Fold8 Ultra, and Flip8.
Apple crossed 20% Q3 share for the first time, buoyed by resilient premium demand while affordable segments are squeezed by rising costs. The outlook for the rest of 2026 is 'challenging,' with makers prioritizing profitability over volume through production cuts, leaner portfolios, and premium focus.
Source: GSMArena · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing