iPhone hits record Q3 shipment share as global smartphone market plunges 20%, per report

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple saw its share of global smartphone shipments cross 20% for the first time in a third quarter, despite an industry-wide decline. Here are the details.

’The second successive quarter to take the full brunt of the memory crisis’

In a report released today, Counterpoint Research says memory constraints and rising prices have pushed global smartphone shipments to their lowest third-quarter level in 14 years, with a 20% year-over-year decline. The report doesn’t say what that translates to in absolute numbers.

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple shipped 22% of all smartphones during Q3 2026, up from 18% in the year-ago period. That helped it narrow the gap with Samsung, which remained in first place with a 23% share.

The top five also included Xiaomi (10%), OPPO (9%), and vivo (8%), all of which saw their shipment shares decline compared to Q3 2025.

Here’s Counterpoint Research on Apple’s performance for the period:

Apple’s market share crossed 20% for the first time in any Q3, reaching 22%, despite a YoY decline in shipments. The volume decline was largely driven by the absence of a base iPhone 18, which resulted in a smaller launch-month channel fill than the full iPhone 17 lineup a year earlier. Apple also joined the industry wide shift toward price hikes, although the impact was limited to the final weeks of the quarter. However, the iPhone 18 Pro models saw a stronger launch than their predecessors, particularly in China and India, while sustained momentum from the iPhone 17 series helped offset a higher shipment decline.

Looking ahead, the report noted that things don’t look particularly encouraging for the remainder of the year, “with OEMs increasingly prioritizing profitability over shipment volumes amid elevated component costs and weaker affordability.”

Counterpoint added that price-sensitive segments will likely face further pressure from higher device prices and limited component availability, with a meaningful recovery in shipment volumes unlikely until costs come down and supply conditions improve.

To read Counterpoint’s full report, follow this link.

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