Samsung forecast to overtake Apple in global smartphone shipments in 2026: report
Samsung Electronics is forecast to reclaim the top spot in the global smartphone market this year, overtaking U.S. rival Apple, an industry report showed Monday. Samsung's smartphone shipments are expected to rise about 0.8 percent from a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple's shipments are expected to decline 2.1 percent this year. Samsung's relatively strong performance is…
Samsung Electronics is set to reclaim its position as the leading global smartphone manufacturer in 2026, according to industry report released on Monday. Counterpoint Research projects that Samsung's shipments will increase by approximately 0.8% compared to the previous year, while Apple's shipments are expected to decline by 2.1%.
The report attributes Samsung's strong performance to its diverse product line, worldwide distribution, in-house component sourcing, and extensive carrier and distribution networks, which have bolstered its competitiveness in the face of supply chain uncertainties.
Conversely, Apple faces potential challenges due to anticipated price increases for the iPhone 18 series and alterations in the launch schedules for individual models. Furthermore, Apple is slated to introduce its first foldable iPhone only in the third quarter of the current year, with initial shipments expected to be a few million units. Consequently, this limited release is unlikely to substantially impact overall shipment trends in 2026, as per the latest report findings.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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