Samsung overtakes Apple in worst smartphone quarter in 13 years

Full text

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

TL;DR

Global smartphone shipments fell 11% YoY as AI-driven demand for DRAM and NAND chips fueled component shortages, higher production costs, and widespread price hikes.

Samsung reclaimed the top spot with a 24% global market share, outperforming Apple despite the smartphone market posting its weakest Q2 since 2013.

Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo took the biggest hit, posting double-digit shipment declines as rising memory costs squeezed the budget and mid-range segments.

Samsung has reclaimed the smartphone crown in a time of shrinking industry . While global smartphone shipments suffered their worst second quarter in 13 years, Samsung managed to overtake Apple and emerge as the biggest winner, showing how the two rivals navigated one of the toughest markets in recent memory in very different ways.

According to Counterpoint Research, global smartphone shipments declined 11% YoY in Q2 2026, the lowest second quarter since 2013. The biggest factor is a persistent shortage of DRAM and NAND memory chips, with suppliers continuing to prioritize AI data center demand over consumer electronics. And that has driven up manufacturing costs, forcing many phone makers to raise prices, especially on budget and mid-range devices, where margins are already thin. Higher shipping costs, inflation, and weaker consumer spending have added to the pressure.