What you need to know
- Counterpoint Research published its report concerning the top 10 best-selling phones globally for Q2, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra surprised the results.
- The Galaxy S26 Ultra, a premium phone, topped the charts for Android, marking the first time such a device has done so.
- While Samsung and Apple dominated the top 10 in Q2 2026, Apple's iPhone 17 was number one.
Research data is taking a look back at individual phone performance for Q2 2026. The discovery? A premium phone topped Android's charts for the very first time.
This week, Counterpoint Research published its research into the global best-selling phones for Q2 2026, and one device was a surprise (via 9to5Google). The Galaxy S26 Ultra turned heads this past quarter, as the device claimed the top spot in the best-selling Android phone sector. Counterpoint cites its senior analyst, Harshit Rastogi, who said the S26 Ultra's performance "marks the first time an ultra-premium Android device has led Android sales in a June quarter."
Rastogi highlighted the Ultra phone's Q2 performance over Q1 2026. Considering Samsung's first Galaxy Unpacked this year, sales "shifted more into Q2." What's more, research shows that the S26 Ultra not only outperformed the S25 Ultra, but it also accounted for "more than half of the series' sales" this year. While this is a first for Android, Samsung isn't at the top of the global best-selling phone list in Q2.
That belongs to Apple's iPhone 17. The iPhone 17 Pro Max followed up in second, then it's the 17 Pro. The Galaxy S26 Ultra sits in fourth place, with the more expected Android leader, the Galaxy A07 (a mid-range phone), in fifth. Compared to this time last year, Apple and Samsung dominate the top 10 best-selling phones. In Q2 2025, Xiaomi snuck into the eighth spot, but not this time.
Counterpoint adds that Apple and Samsung total 26% of the global smartphone sales, a 2% increase YoY.
A downward trend
The Galaxy S26 Ultra really caught people's attention. The Privacy Display is its standout feature. What's even more surprising is that the S26 Ultra beat Samsung's Galaxy AI series phones. These mid-range phones are usually the ones sitting the highest for Android (right under Apple). Think about it: these phones are cheaper. Compared to an S Ultra, the Galaxy A series is anywhere from $200 to $500. Much cheaper.
Samsung and Apple's positive Q2 2026 was highlighted in another research report published by Omdia in July. It noted a 2% and 4% increase, respectively, for the companies. Omdia reported that the global smartphone market dipped 4% in Q2, placing the blame on the memory crisis. The current outlook on the smartphone market isn't a pleasant one. According to Omdia's projections, the market may continue to drop into Q3, then Q4.
This would be significant, considering the holiday season is when the market tends to rise. In its report, Runar Bjorhovde, principal analyst at Omdia, said the "sharpest volume decline" is expected in the two upcoming quarters. "Contrained memory chip" supply and the issues that accompany it could sour a time when there are multiple device launches, festivities, and sales.
