Apple Inc. has tightened its grip on the global smartphone market, outpacing Android rivals in the latest industry research that highlights a growing dominance in both sales and revenue.
According to a new report by Counterpoint Research, global smartphone revenues grew by 8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, driven largely by strong performance in the premium segment, which is an area where Apple continues to lead.
The data paints a stark picture for Android manufacturers. While multiple brands compete on volume, Apple has consolidated its position at the top of the value chain, capturing a disproportionate share of industry profits.
In Q1 2026, Apple emerged as the top smartphone brand globally in terms of shipments, recording about 21 percent market share for the first time ever, ahead of Samsung at 20 percent.
Even more striking is Apple’s dominance at the device level. The iPhone 17 was the best-selling smartphone globally, accounting for roughly 6 percent of all units sold during the quarter.
The third, fourth and fifth place positions were occupied by Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo respectively. Xiaomi recorded the steepest decline by shipments falling 19% YoY. OPPO’s average selling price climbed 3% YoY while vivo’s grew 10% YoY.
In terms of revenue, Apple led the market by far with 48% of the total market revenue with Samsung (18%), OPPO (6%), Xiaomi (5%) and vivo (4%) following in that order.
Industry analysts attribute Apple’s dominance due to a number of factors. “Apple’s growth was driven by sustained demand for the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max, with a stronger mix of these models lifting Apple’s overall ASP by 11% YoY. Unlike its peers, Apple mostly maintained stable pricing despite rising BOM costs, reflecting its ability to absorb cost pressures and remain insulated from the memory crisis, which helped strengthen its competitive position during the quarter,” they said.
Counterpoint also points out that the global smartphone market’s revenue grew 8% YoY in Q1 2026 to reach $117 billion despite a decline in shipments. This was pressured by the rising bill of materials and a severe memory shortage.
