Apple Captured 49% of Global Smartphone Revenue in Q2 2026 — Even as the Market Shrank

That pricing discipline gave Apple a significant advantage — especially in China — as rising memory costs eroded the value proposition of cheaper rivals . Apple's revenue share rose from 44% in the same quarter a year earlier to 49% in Q2 2026, a jump of five percentage points .

How Rivals Fared Under Memory Pressure

The memory chip shortage hit Android brands hardest. Counterpoint found that rising component costs forced most of them to raise prices, which in turn sapped demand in the cost-sensitive segments where they compete .

Samsung was the only Android brand to post both revenue and shipment growth. It held steady as the second-ranked brand with 16% revenue share, with revenue and shipments both up 9%. Its ASP held roughly flat at $270. Counterpoint credited Samsung's vertical integration and component sourcing control for limiting its price increases. The Galaxy A-series drove volume, while the Galaxy S26 series strengthened its premium position .

Xiaomi had the steepest shipment decline among the top five — down 26% year-over-year. Revenue fell 17% even as its ASP rose 13%, showing that selling more expensive phones could not compensate for lost volume .

OPPO revenue declined 10% year-over-year, and vivo revenue fell 11%, both following the same pattern of higher prices failing to offset lower shipments .

Counterpoint concluded that the results "show the limits of relying on higher prices in cost-sensitive parts of the market" .

Apple's Own Supply Constraint Warning

Separately, during Apple's fiscal Q3 2026 earnings call on July 30, CEO Tim Cook warned that supply constraints would "increase significantly" in the September quarter, affecting iPhone, iPad, and Mac . Cook cited advanced chipmaking bottlenecks as the main constraint, adding that Apple was seeing "less flexibility in the supply chain than normal" .

The warning came as demand outstripped supply for Macs and iPhones — Apple had already raised prices on Macs and iPads due to the memory-chip crunch, but had so far spared the iPhone . On the call, Cook described the situation as "a hundred-year flood on memory pricing" . Apple's stock fell 7.3% the next day .

Outlook: Steeper Declines Ahead?

Counterpoint forecasts that rising DRAM and NAND costs will "continue to put upward pressure on smartphone prices" and that the industry should expect "steeper shipment declines in the second half of 2026" . The firm also expects Apple to raise iPhone prices in coming quarters as the memory shortage continues — something it largely avoided in Q2 .

One important caveat: Counterpoint's preliminary shipment estimate for Apple in Q2 2026 shows 13% iPhone growth, which differs from an earlier July 13 estimate of 3% growth. The firm has not explained whether the newer figures reflect revised data or a methodology change, so the 13% growth figure is not yet fully settled .