Counterpoint

The iPhone 17 retained its position as the world's best selling smartphone in the second quarter of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ holding the next two spots on the firm's quarterly ranking. Data from Counterpoint's Global Handset Model Sales Tracker places the standard ‌iPhone 17‌ at 6% of global smartphone unit sales for the second...

Apple gained ground in India, Latin America, and Europe even as all three markets contracted, according to a new series of Counterpoint Research reports. Between late March and the beginning of August, Indian smartphone sales ran 14% behind the equivalent stretch of 2025, and the market slipped for three straight weeks once major promotions in July had finished. Apple outperformed every...

Apple captured 65% of the global premium smartphone market in the first half of 2026, as the wider premium segment's share of overall smartphone sales climbed to a record 29%. That's according to Counterpoint Research's Handset Model Sales Tracker, which tracks smartphones with a wholesale average selling price of $600 or more. Apple's premium segment revenue grew 9% year-over-year in the...

Apple accounted for roughly 90% of all Edge AI-capable smartwatch shipments in the first quarter of 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. That dominance came as Edge AI penetration across the broader smartwatch market grew 70% year-over-year, reaching 25% in the first quarter of 2026, according to Counterpoint's Global Smartwatch Shipments Tracker. "Edge AI" refers to...

The bill of materials for the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to rise by nearly $300 compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to a new Counterpoint Research analysis. The estimate covers the 1TB storage model. NAND flash costs for the device are said to exceed $250 on their own, a figure that would cover roughly half of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max's entire estimated component cost. DRAM...

Apple shipped 1.1 million MacBook Neo units in the first quarter of the year, according to IDC, making it one of the strongest Mac debut performances in recent memory (via TechCrunch). The figure is particularly striking given that the laptop was only available for roughly three weeks of the period, having gone on sale in mid-March. Shipments began spiking from early April, suggesting the...

Apple finished as the world's number one smartphone brand by shipments in the first quarter of 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. It's the first time the company has ever led the market in a Q1. Apple captured 21 percent of global shipments and grew 9 percent year-over-year, even as the overall market contracted 3 percent. Samsung came in a close second, also at 21...

Apple's smartphone sales increased 1.3 percent year-over-year in the United States during the first quarter of 2026, according to data shared by Counterpoint Research. Apple saw a sales increase while the broader U.S. smartphone market experienced a 5.7 percent decline during the same time period. Android device sales declined 14.4 percent, while Apple's market share grew 4 percent...

Apple's iPhone 17 was the best-selling smartphone globally in the first quarter of 2026, capturing 6 percent of worldwide unit sales, according to Counterpoint Research's latest Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. The iPhone 17 series dominated the top three spots, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max in second place and the iPhone 17 Pro in third. The previous-generation iPhone 16 also held on at...

Apple remains the top manufacturer of satellite-capable smartphones globally, with such devices projected to reach 46% of all smartphone shipments by 2030, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research. The firm's Smartphone Satellite Connection Report finds that Apple kickstarted the satellite phone trend when it partnered with Globalstar to bring Emergency SOS via satellite to the...

China's smartphone shipments fell 4% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from Counterpoint Research, with Apple delivering the strongest growth among the top six brands. Counterpoint's Market Monitor Tracker attributed the decline primarily to a high base effect from last year's government subsidy program and rising component costs. Counterpoint noted that...

Apple saw a 23% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales in China during the first nine weeks of 2026, significantly outperforming a broader market decline driven by weak demand and rising component costs, according to Counterpoint Research. China smartphone sales apparently fell by 4% year-over-year in the first nine weeks of 2026. Within this environment, Apple emerged as the...

Nearly one in four active smartphones worldwide are now iPhones, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. The findings from Counterpoint's Smartphone Installed Base Tracker show that the global installed base of active smartphones grew 2% in 2025, driven primarily by lengthening replacement cycles and the continued circulation of second-life devices. Unlike shipment figures, which...

Apple's iPhone 16 was the best-selling smartphone globally in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research's latest report. Apple and Samsung devices dominated the top 10 list for the fourth consecutive year, accounting for 19% of overall smartphone sales. Apple claimed seven of the top 10 spots, while Samsung captured the remaining three. Launched in September, the iPhone 17 series achieved...

Apple reclaimed the leading position in China's smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2025 as strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup offset a contracting market and growing supply-chain pressure from memory chip shortages. New data from Counterpoint Research shows that smartphone shipments in China declined 1.6% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025 and fell 0.6% for the full...

Apple emerged as the global smartphone market leader in 2025, capturing a 20% market share with 10% year-over-year shipment growth – the highest among the top five brands, according to data released today by Counterpoint Research. Global smartphone shipments grew 2% year-over-year in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of growth. Counterpoint said the market was driven by more...

Apple and Samsung are best equipped to handle rising memory chip costs that could drive down global smartphone shipments by 2.1% in 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. Image credit: iFixit In its latest projection for the smartphone market next year, the firm has downgraded its forecast from a previously expected 0.45% growth, citing a memory shortage that has pushed...

Foldable smartphone panel shipments are projected to jump 46% year-over-year in 2026, with Apple's entry into the market serving as the main catalyst, according to Counterpoint Research's latest Foldable-Rollable Display Shipment Tracker. "Apple is the key driver as it starts to procure panels for its first foldable iPhone," said Counterpoint's Guillaume Chansin. The research firm expects...

Apple led global smartphone sales with the iPhone 16 in the third quarter of 2025 while simultaneously accelerating demand for the iPhone 17 lineup and expanding its promotional footprint in the United States, according to new analyses from Counterpoint Research. Counterpoint Research's Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker shows that the ‌iPhone 16‌ was the best-selling smartphone...

Apple's iPhone 17 lineup was the clear driver of smartphone growth during China's "Singles Day" shopping festival, according to new industry data. Apple was the top-selling smartphone brand throughout this year's month-long Singles Day period in China, accounting for 26% of all smartphone sales, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research shared by Reuters. Overall smartphone sales...