The smartphone market continues to move upward. In the first half of 2026, premium models reached the highest share ever recorded of global sales, confirming a trend that is increasingly evident.
According to Counterpoint Research data, the premium segment accounted for 29% of overall smartphone sales globally, compared to 25% in the same period in 2025 and 20% in the first half of 2022.
Premium smartphones conquer the market: 29% share in the first half of 2026
Counterpoint considers premium devices those with an average selling price of $600 or more. In the first half of 2026, sales in this band grew 5% year over year, bringing its share of the overall market to 29%, the highest level ever recorded in the first half of a year.
The growth is not solely due to users’ greater propensity to choose more expensive devices. According to Counterpoint, an important role is also played by the rise in memory and component costs, which is hitting the lower and mid tiers more significantly.
Premium manufacturers, instead, manage to absorb these increases better thanks to higher margins and less reliance on promotions.
The price gap with the mid-range is narrowing
According to analyst Harshit Rastogi, the rise in memory and other component costs is changing the price positioning of smartphones.
With the price hikes of mid-range Android models, the difference in price with premium devices is narrowing, especially considering previous-generation flagships or discounted models.
This scenario makes high-end devices more attractive as an upgrade choice for a portion of consumers.
To further encourage the shift to premium models, manufacturers are also expanding financing, trade-in and buyback programs. Counterpoint also cites Samsung, which has extended the Galaxy Forever program to several markets with the aim of making flagship devices more accessible.
Apple and Samsung together control 84% of the segment
Apple and Samsung continue to dominate the premium market. In the first half, their combined share rose to 84%, compared with 82% recorded in the same period in 2025.
Apple remains clearly in first place, with a 65% share of the premium segment. The figure is however lower than the 74% recorded in the first half of 2022.
According to Counterpoint, the decline is mainly due to the increase in competition in China, the world’s largest market for premium smartphones. Manufacturers such as Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo are strengthening their high-end offerings, convincing a growing number of Chinese users.
iPhone 17 pushes Apple, Galaxy S26 supports Samsung
Apple registered a 9% year-over-year growth in the first half of 2026. Driving the results was mainly the iPhone 17 series, with particularly strong performance from the base model.
Samsung, on the other hand, posted a 3% year-over-year growth and captured 19% of the premium market.
The result came despite the later-than-usual launch of the Galaxy S26 series, announced in February rather than January, as is customary. The new Privacy Display is one of the defining features of the range, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra accounted for more than half of the series’ total sales.
OPPO grows by 69%, vivo also doing well
Among the manufacturers analyzed by Counterpoint, OPPO recorded the highest growth. In the first half of 2026, the brand’s premium sales rose 69% year over year, driven mainly by the Find X9 series.
Vivo also posted a positive result, with a 20% year-over-year growth. In this case, the X300 series supported sales, which in the first half surpassed those of the previous generation.
The success of premium smartphones will continue
Counterpoint expects the premium trend to continue in the coming months. Manufacturers will shift increasingly from simply selling volumes to creating value and profits, focusing more on higher-priced tiers.
User behavior is also changing. Longer replacement cycles push investing in premium devices, seen as more suitable for use over several years.
Clearly, Apple and Samsung should continue to lead the segment globally, while in China Counterpoint sees Huawei and Xiaomi in the best position to gain further ground in the high end.
