These Were the Biggest Smartphone Makers During Global Market’s 14-Year Low

Global smartphone shipments fell sharply in the third quarter of 2026, with the market posting its weakest Q3 performance in 14 years.

Key points

• OnePlus 16 Goes Overkill With 9, 000mAh Battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6.
• According to Counterpoint Research, shipments between July and September dropped 20% year over year compared with Q3 2025.
• Counterpoint attributed Samsung's stronger performance to robust early demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip8.
• Samsung remained the world's largest smartphone brand in Q3 2026 with a 23% market share, up from 19% in the same quarter last year.
• Apple followed closely with a 22% market share, up from 18% in Q3 2025.

Samsung and Apple were the only major brands to growth their market share during the quarter. Samsung Leads With 23% Market Share.

Counterpoint attributed Samsung's stronger performance to robust early demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip8. Among the three, the Galaxy Z Fold8 reportedly performed the best. Replacing This Default Android App Can Speed Up Your Phone. Apple Reaches Record Q3 Share.

This was the first time Apple's share crossed 20% in any third quarter.

Counterpoint remarked demand for premium smartphones remained relatively robust despite the broader decline in shipments. Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo Lose Share. Other major smartphone brands lost ground during the quarter. Brand Q3 2026 Market Share Q3 2025 Market Share.

While Oppo declined from 12% to 9%, xiaomi's share fell from 14% to 10%. Vivo additionally slipped slightly, falling from 9% to 8%.

Counterpoint linked the subdued quarter to continued memory shortages and rising memory costs.

For context, the difficulty is not simply limited supply, but the high cost of components such as DRAM and storage. This is pushing smartphone rates higher, especially in the affordable segment.

Counterpoint remarked global retail smartphone costs have risen by 20% so far this year.

OnePlus 16 Goes Overkill With 9, 000mAh Battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. Cheaper Phones Hit Hardest.

While lower-cost devices are being squeezed by rising component costs, premium smartphone demand has remained more resilient.

As memory becomes more expensive, manufacturers have less room to keep budget phone rates low without hurting margins.

This is pushing firms to cut production and put more focus on higher-priced models. Counterpoint expects conditions to remain challenging for the rest of 2026. Smartphone makers are increasingly prioritizing profitability over shipment volumes.

In practice, the firm expects production cuts, smaller product portfolios and a stronger focus on premium devices to continue.

While brands with a bigger presence in lower-priced segments are losing market share, for now, Samsung and Apple appear to be benefiting the most from that shift. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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