Samsung Recaptures Global Top Spot with 24% Smartphone Market Share in Q2

Samsung Electronics overtook Apple to reclaim the top spot in the global smartphone market. The company achieved a 24% market share in the second quarter, a success attributed to minimizing price hikes compared to competitors in India and the Middle East and launching aggressive promotional activities. Strong sales of the Galaxy S26 series also contributed to the performance. The Galaxy S26 Ultra recorded high demand in the premium market, led by its Privacy Display and artificial intelligence (AI) features.

Second-place Apple maintained a 20% market share, supported by stable sales of the iPhone 17 series and being the only company to freeze prices in the second quarter.

A surge in demand for memory for AI data centers has exacerbated shortages in DRAM and NAND flash. Rising component prices pushed up smartphone manufacturing costs, dampening demand across the market. Global smartphone shipments decreased by 11% year-on-year.

An industry official diagnosed the situation, stating, "The smartphone market is currently influenced by two simultaneous variables: competition over AI functions and cost burdens." They added, "In the second half of the year, securing AI experiences and price competitiveness will be the core factors determining market share."