Apple still commands 65% of premium market—OPPO's 69% surge shows rivals closing in

Counterpoint Research says competition from HUAWEI, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo in China is eroding Apple's lead.

File photo: iPhone 17 Pro Series, Find X9 Ultra

Apple's lead narrows in China

Image from Counterpoint Research

Apple's share of the global premium smartphone segment fell to 65 percent in the first half of 2026, down from 74 percent in the first half of 2022.

According to Counterpoint Research's Handset Model Sales Tracker, the decline came even as Apple's unit sales in the segment grew 9 percent year-on-year, a gain Counterpoint attributes to strong performance from the iPhone 17 Series, particularly the base model. Counterpoint defines the premium segment as smartphones with a wholesale average selling price of USD 600 (around PHP 36,500) and above.

Counterpoint attributes Apple's shrinking share mainly to intensifying competition in China, the largest premium smartphone market. As Chinese manufacturers including HUAWEI, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo improve their flagship offerings, the firm says more consumers there are opting for domestic premium brands instead.

Apple's decline comes amid overall growth in the premium segment. Global premium unit sales rose 5 percent year-on-year in H1 2026, and the segment's share of total smartphone sales climbed to a record 29 percent, up from 25 percent in H1 2025 and 20 percent in H1 2022. 

Counterpoint says rising memory costs hit low- and mid-tier smartphones harder in this period, since premium OEMs absorbed those costs through higher margins and fewer promotions.

Among Apple's rivals, Samsung grew 3 percent year-on-year and held 19 percent of the segment despite a later Galaxy S26 Series launch, with the new Privacy Display feature serving as a key differentiator. OPPO posted the segment's highest growth at 69 percent, led by its Find X9 Series, while vivo grew 20 percent on the strength of its X300 series.

Counterpoint Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan said Apple and Samsung are expected to maintain their leadership in the premium segment, citing their strong positions in developed markets, integrated ecosystems, and brand value. 

He added that HUAWEI and Xiaomi are well positioned to gain further share in China's higher price segments as they expand their premium portfolios.

Senior Analyst Harshit Rastogi, meanwhile, said: "Rising memory and component costs are reshaping smartphone pricing and creating opportunities for OEMs to accelerate premiumization."

As mid-segment Android smartphone prices rise, the price gap with premium devices, especially older or discounted flagship models, is narrowing, the expert added.

Rastogi said this trend makes flagship smartphones a better upgrade option for consumers. 

He said OEMs are expanding financing, trade-in, and buyback programs to support that shift, citing Samsung's expansion of its Galaxy Forever program to several markets as an example.

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Source: Counterpoint Research