Apple’s time as the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer is over for now.
According to a new report from the technology market research company Counterpoint, Samsung has regained its title from Apple as the global leader of the mobile industry in Q2 2026. And it seems that Apple’s loss is at least due to the ongoing RAM shortage around the world, which has led to fewer people buying phones.
“The outlook for 2026 remains challenging,” Counterpoint said in its report. The research firm expects a nearly 14 percent drop in global smartphone shipments annually, with price increases putting pressure on consumers.
Thank the AI industry for this technology price hike: See the full list
Samsung and Apple have been battling it out for years as the world’s leading smartphone manufacturers. At the beginning of the year, Apple beat Samsung to become the industry leader with record-breaking iPhone sales.
However, the latest data shows that Samsung is off to a strong start in 2026, putting the company back on top. Samsung now has a 24 percent mobile phone market share, the strongest of the top five brands in the segment. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 line was the driver of increased shipments, according to the report. Counterpoint says the Galaxy S26 Ultra model released in March emerged as a “top performer.”
Mashable Light Speed
Although Apple dropped to second place, the company’s market share actually grew overall in Q2 2026. Counterpoint’s report found that the company grew 3 percent year-over-year during the quarter and achieved a record 20 percent share of the global market. The iPhone 17 remained Apple’s flagship product line and was “the top global model.”
However, Apple has faced difficulties because global RAM shortage fueled by the AI boom.
Counterpoint’s report says that the iPhone models are “facing soft demand, as the segment share prioritizes current generation devices amid memory-related supply constraints.” The company also faced a drop in shipments to the Chinese market as “China remained a soft spot” for the company, according to Counterpoint.
Regarding the lack of RAM, Samsung’s smartphone lines are likely to benefit, as the company is also a corporation memory maker itself. Even so, the company is doing little increase its values in February, and rumors say that the company may increase mobile rates continuously soon (the company is expected to unveil its new foldable at an event on July 22 in London).
Samsung finally confirmed the Galaxy Unpacked on July 22
Notably, Samsung has avoided a price hike on its Ultra model, which has performed exceptionally well this quarter. Apple has made it this far avoid price gouging on its iPhone 17 line, despite price hikes on its MacBooks and iPads in June.
It should also be noted that Samsung launched its latest Galaxy smartphone models in February of this year. The Galaxy S26 line, according to the report, was the main reason for Samsung regaining its top spot. Apple’s new line of iPhones, the iPhone 18, is not expected until September, and will likely play a major role in Apple’s future market share.