Apple Leads with 50% Share of Smartphone Revenue in Q3... Samsung at 19%

Apple Claims 50% of Q3 Revenue Share, Samsung 19%
Average Selling Prices Offset Declines in Volume

Apple posted a record 50% share of global smartphone revenue in the third quarter of this year, according to a market estimate.

Customers line up to enter Apple Myeongdong in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 23, the launch day of Apple's foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. 2026.10.23 Yonhap News

According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on November 4, global smartphone revenue reached $114 billion (approximately 153 trillion won) in the third quarter of this year, up 3% from the same period a year earlier.

Smartphone shipments plunged 19%, but the average selling price (ASP) offset the decline in volume and supported revenue growth. The global ASP rose 27% year over year to $442 (approximately 590,000 won), driven by premiumization, a richer product mix, and memory-driven price increases.

Apple's revenue rose 17% from the same period last year, marking its highest-ever third-quarter result. Its share of global smartphone revenue also reached an all-time high of 50%. Steady demand for the iPhone 17 series and strong initial sales of the iPhone 18 Pro series drove the results. Apple's ASP increased 19% year over year.

Samsung Electronics ranked second with a 19% share of revenue. Its revenue rose 14% year over year, while it maintained its global lead in shipment share at 22%. Its ASP increased 21% year over year to $367, driven by price increases for the Galaxy A series and expanded sales of premium products such as the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold8.

Xiaomi's third-quarter revenue remained at about the same level as a year earlier, but double-digit ASP growth offset the decline in shipment volume.

Counterpoint Research said smartphone manufacturers are working to protect profitability by raising product prices and scaling back less profitable models in response to rising memory costs. However, it said these efforts to protect revenue are unlikely to continue into the next quarter.

Silpi Jain, a senior research analyst at Counterpoint Research, said, "ASP growth has partly mitigated the impact of declining shipments, but it does not immediately translate into improved profitability. Going forward, manufacturers will face the greater challenge of protecting margins while maintaining price accessibility, in addition to defending shipment volumes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.