Apple: 20 percent market share despite market slump

The global smartphone market fell to its weakest level in 13 years in the second quarter of 2026. In this very environment, Apple achieved a record market share of 20 percent – and was the only major manufacturer that did not raise prices. The reason for both is the same: the storage crisis.

Market researchers at Counterpoint Research have released their figures for the second quarter of 2026, and they present an unusually mixed picture. The overall market shrank by 11 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year, marking its lowest second-quarter result since 2013. Apple, on the other hand, increased its iPhone shipments by three percent, reaching a market share of 20 percent – the highest figure the company has ever achieved in a second quarter. Nevertheless, Samsung remains at the top, after Apple first led the rankings in the first quarter of 2026.

The weakest spring in 13 years

Samsung achieved a 24 percent market share in the second quarter, four percentage points higher than the previous year. This increase was driven by the Galaxy S26 series, improved availability, and more aggressive discounting. Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo followed behind.

Manufacturer	Share Q2 2026	Change compared to previous year
Samsung	24 %	+4 percentage points
Apple	20 %	+3 percentage points
Xiaomi	12 %	-2 percentage points
OPPO	11 %	-1 percentage point
vivo	8 %	-1 percentage point
Other manufacturers	26 %	-2 percentage points

The concentration at the top is striking: Samsung and Apple together gained seven percentage points, while the share of the remaining manufacturers fell from 28 to 26 percent. The market is therefore not shrinking uniformly – it is shrinking primarily at the margins.

Three percent growth in a collapsing market

Apple's shipments increased by three percent, with the iPhone 17 remaining the world's best-selling single model. This continues the series of growth quarters. At the same time, market researchers reported weaker demand for older iPhone generations: Due to memory shortages, available components are being prioritized for current models.

This observation fits a picture that has emerged from several sources in recent weeks. Just a few days ago, a report circulated about significantly reduced demand forecasts for the iPhone 17 – and now the same model is leading the global shipping statistics. These two things don't necessarily contradict each other: Counterpoint measures what Apple ships to retailers, not what ultimately reaches the customer. A high number of shipments coupled with subdued expectations for the coming months is precisely the pattern that creates a slowdown.

The only major manufacturer without a price markup

The most remarkable sentence in the report concerns not unit sales, but price tags: Apple was the only major vendor that did not raise smartphone prices in the second quarter. While its competitors passed on the increased costs for DRAM and NAND memory, Apple did not.

For buyers in this country, however, this news is quickly put into perspective. Apple has indeed passed on the storage costs – just in other product categories. At the end of June, the company raised prices for Macs, iPads, Apple TV, HomePod, and Vision Pro: The 16-inch MacBook Pro climbed from €2,999 to €3,399, the MacBook Neo from €699 to €799, and the Vision Pro from €3,699 to €3,999. For iPhones, you're still paying the prices from last fall.

The dividing line, therefore, is not between Apple and its competitors, but between the iPhone and the rest of its product range. The fact that the highest-margin and best-selling product line remains unaffected, while notebooks become twelve to sixteen percent more expensive, is a calculated decision – and not an indication that costs haven't reached the iPhone. How long this price limit will last is uncertain: Several reports already anticipate higher prices for the iPhone 18 generation this fall.

China remains the open flank

One market continues to buck the pattern: Apple's shipments in China declined year-over-year. While the company launched an early discount campaign ahead of the 618 shopping festival, the rebates were smaller than the previous year. The extent to which Apple is now tightening its pricing in this market was recently demonstrated by the fact that these discounts propelled the company to second place in China – a result that would not have been possible without such aggressive marketing.

A record that also reveals the weakness of the competition

A 20 percent market share is a strong figure, but it arises to a considerable extent because others are declining faster. With a market down by 11 percent, a delivery increase of just 3 percent is enough for a significant gain in market share. The record, therefore, measures resilience, not boom.

But therein lies the crux of the matter. The storage shortage, which suppliers believe Apple itself contributed to creating, is hitting manufacturers with thin margins and long-term supply contracts harder than a company that secures components in large quantities in advance and can selectively control price increases. Market researchers expect a decline of around 14 percent for the year as a whole, and the bottleneck is likely to persist until 2027. Those who can weather this period with stable availability will gain market share – regardless of how many devices are ultimately sold.

Apple's own quarterly results will be released on July 30th.

The calendar quarter analyzed by Counterpoint coincides with Apple's third fiscal quarter. The company will release its quarterly figures on July 30 – at which point, in addition to the market researchers' shipment estimates, the actual iPhone revenue will also be available. How much of the three percent growth ultimately translates into net income, and whether the stable iPhone prices have impacted margins, will only become clear then. (Image: Shutterstock / Zalfar)