Market research firm Counterpoint: Global smartphone sales fell by 11% year-on-year in Q2, with Samsung and Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) still leading the market.

Market research firm Counterpoint Research stated on Monday that global smartphone sales in the second quarter of this year fell by 11% year-on-year, with Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) and Samsung Electronics (SSNLF.US) continuing to lead the market. Counterpoint stated that global smartphone shipments decreased from March to June this year, hitting the lowest level in the second quarter since 2013, as the shortage of storage chips worsened. Despite the overall market downturn, Samsung reclaimed the top spot in the global smartphone market, with a 24% market share, mainly driven by the sales performance of its flagship Galaxy S26 series. In addition, the Galaxy S26 Ultra became a "highlight" in the second quarter, benefiting mainly from its privacy display function and artificial intelligence (AI) features. Counterpoint added: "At the same time, Samsung's vertically integrated supply chain, expanding AI product portfolio, and revitalized product lineup help the company maintain growth despite weak demand in the entry-level and mid-range markets." In contrast, Apple Inc.'s smartphone shipments in the second quarter grew by 3% year-on-year, capturing 20% of the global market share at the end of the second quarter. Counterpoint stated in a blog post: "This marks multiple quarters of year-on-year growth for the Apple Inc. brand, mainly driven by the continued strong market performance of the iPhone 17 series. This series continues to be the top-selling smartphone model globally, while demand in several key markets remains resilient." However, despite Apple Inc.'s overall strong performance, there was still some softness in its market in China, with a decline in shipments year-on-year. Counterpoint also noted that demand for older iPhone models from Apple Inc. has weakened. Rounding out the top five global positions are Chinese brands Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo. The shipments of these three manufacturers in the second quarter all saw a significant year-on-year decline, mainly due to the increase in storage chip prices.