iPhone Takes Bigger Slice of a Shrinking Smartphone Market

What happened

Across the industry, manufacturers shipped 20% fewer smartphones than a year earlier, taking the July-to-September total to its lowest level since 2012. The research firm nevertheless reported a better debut for the iPhone 18 Pro models than for the previous Pro generation, with sales in China and India standing out. Apple is a software and consumer electronics company based in Cupertino.

Apple's share of worldwide smartphone shipments rose to a third-quarter record of 22% in the third quarter of 2026, despite a decline in its own iPhone shipments, according to preliminary figures from Counterpoint Research. Apple finished the quarter just behind Samsung, which accounted for 23% of shipments.

Apple's launch plan was a significant factor in its lower shipment volume this year. With no standard iPhone 18 arriving alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September, Counterpoint said Apple supplied fewer new devices to retail channels than during last year's iPhone 17 lineup launch.