[Edaily Reporter KIM JUNG YOU ] Global smartphone market revenue reached a record high for a single quarter in the second quarter of this year. SamsungElectronics(005930)maintained its second-place market position as revenue increased by 9% thanks to strong sales of the "Galaxy S26" series.

Research

According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on the 6th, global smartphone market revenue in the second quarter of this year reached $109 billion, a 7% increase from the same period last year. This marks the highest second-quarter figure on record.

Although shipment volumes declined, the rise in average selling price (ASP) offset this decline and drove revenue growth. The second-quarter ASP rose 17% year-over-year to $400, also a record high for any quarter. This was partly due to price hikes by Android smartphone manufacturers in response to soaring memory prices.

Silpi Jain, a principal analyst at Counterpoint, noted, “The global smartphone market is entering a phase where value—rather than volume—is becoming the key driver of growth,” adding, “Rising component prices are accelerating this shift.”

She added, “Most smartphone manufacturers are moving away from volume-focused strategies and are passing on the increase in bill of materials (BoM) costs to consumer prices,” noting, “They are expanding sales of models with higher storage capacities and higher specifications and strengthening their focus on the premium market.”

By manufacturer, Apple set a new all-time high with a 49% market share (based on revenue) in the second quarter. During the same period, Apple’s revenue rose 22% year-over-year, while shipments increased by 13%. The average selling price (ASP) rose by 9%.

Tarun Pathak, Research Director, said, “Unlike other companies, Apple maintained its product prices and absorbed the rising component costs internally,” adding, “However, Apple may also raise prices in future quarters.”

SamsungElectronics ranked second with a 16% market share. During the same period, both revenue and shipments increased by 9% year-over-year, while the ASP remained at a level similar to the previous year. Steady demand for the entry-level “Galaxy A” series supported the increase in shipments, and strong sales of the Galaxy S26 series drove the performance of the premium product line.

By region, shipments in the Middle East and Africa increased significantly, and the company also recorded double-digit growth in North America. SamsungElectronics effectively managed cost pressures by leveraging its vertically integrated structure and competitive component sourcing capabilities, maintaining a stable ASP while selectively raising prices for only certain product lines.

China’s Xiaomi saw its second-quarter shipments decline by 26% year-over-year, and revenue also fell by 17%. However, its ASP rose by 13% as it expanded the share of high-value-added products. Due to its business structure, which relies heavily on mid- to low-end products, Xiaomi was more vulnerable to memory supply shortages and could not avoid raising prices, resulting in a decline in demand.

Another two Chinese smartphone manufacturers, Oppo and Vivo, saw their ASPs rise by 9% and 13%, respectively, yet their revenue fell by 10% and 11% year-over-year.

Counterpoint Research forecasts that, given the memory supply shortage and rising costs are unlikely to be resolved in the short term, smartphone manufacturers will continue to raise prices and focus their sales strategies on high-value-added products. Furthermore, with supply exceeding demand acting as a major constraint, there is a possibility that the decline in smartphone shipments will accelerate in the second half of this year.