Samsung expected to reclaim the global smartphone crown in 2026

In 2025, Samsung lost the crown for the largest smartphone brand globally in terms of shipments to Apple by just one percentage point, taking second place on the chart. However, the South Korean tech giant is expected to regain the top position in 2026.

Counterpoint Research predicts that Samsung will be the number one smartphone brand in terms of shipments this year. It says that the brand taking back the crown is a sign of its greater resilience to higher memory chip prices compared to other brands.

At the same time, the research firm expects global smartphone shipments to decline 14.3% in 2026 due to the ongoing memory chip shortage. Despite that, the South Korean tech giant is expected to grow 0.8%. Counterpoint Research says that the growth will be driven by its highly integrated supply chain and mature distribution network.

Counterpoint Research Principal Analyst Wang Yang said, “Samsung’s return to the top position comes down to its internal component capabilities, broad portfolio, and established operator and retail relationships.” On a related note, Samsung was the number one smartphone brand in terms of shipments in Q2 2026 in Europe and Latin America.