Overview
- Counterpoint Research reports the premium smartphone segment grew to a record 29% of global sales in the first half of 2026 and Apple captured 65% of that market, with its premium shipments rising about 9% year over year driven by strong iPhone 17 demand.
- Samsung held roughly 19% of the premium band while smaller OEMs and Chinese brands together account for the remaining share and continue to chip away at Apple’s local market positions, especially in China.
- Analysts say rising memory and other component costs, including reported RAM shortages, have nudged many devices into the $600+ price band and narrowed the gap between discounted older flagships and new mid-tier models.
- Manufacturers are expanding affordability tools — for example Apple’s Upgrade program and Samsung’s Galaxy Card plus wider trade-in and buyback offers — to make premium phones easier to buy and to accelerate upgrades.
- Researchers warn that persistent supply constraints from component bottlenecks could limit near-term availability of high-end models and shape which new phones actually reach stores this fall.