Samsung Galaxy A Series Takes the Lead
The Samsung Galaxy A Series has emerged as the world's best-selling smartphone line in the second quarter of 2026, according to a report by Smart Analytics Global (SAG). This impressive achievement comes as the Galaxy A Series outperformed the iPhone 17 Series in global shipments.
Impressive Shipment Growth
According to SAG’s findings, the Galaxy A Series accounted for 18% of global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2026, marking an 11% increase year on year (YoY). In contrast, the iPhone 17 Series secured the second position with a 16% share, although it experienced a more significant growth rate of 24% YoY.
Understanding the Rankings
It’s important to note that these rankings are based on product families rather than individual smartphone models. This means that all models within the Galaxy A Series were aggregated and compared to the collective models of the iPhone 17 Series. While the Galaxy A Series leads in overall shipments, Apple still maintains a stronghold in individual model sales.
- Top three smartphones in individual sales for Q2 2026 were:
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 Pro
Samsung's Strategic Advantage
The success of the Galaxy A Series can be attributed to Samsung's strategy focused on volume and market share. Notably, the Galaxy A17 5G played a crucial role in driving the performance of this product line. Other models such as the Galaxy A16 4G, Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A17 4G, and Galaxy A07 5G also contributed significantly to strong shipment volumes.
Samsung's extensive geographical reach and its ability to manage component costs have allowed it to compete effectively on pricing, especially as consumers become more price-sensitive. However, this aggressive strategy may be putting pressure on Samsung's profitability.
Market Trends and Competitors
According to Linda Sui, the founder and chief analyst at SAG, Samsung is prioritizing volume and market share through its extensive A Series portfolio, even at the expense of profitability. This contrasts with Apple, which continues to benefit from strong demand for its premium products.
Despite the Galaxy A's success, the low to mid-range smartphone segment is facing challenges from rising costs of memory and components. SAG reported declines in shipments for several Android lines during this period, including:
- Xiaomi Redmi: down 17%
- Vivo Y: down 18%
- Oppo A: down 18%
- Honor X: down 24%
- Xiaomi Poco: down 40%
- Lenovo-Motorola G: down 35%
These brands are particularly vulnerable as they cater to a price-sensitive consumer base, making it difficult for manufacturers to decide between raising prices or maintaining margins.
Huawei's Exception and Future Outlook
Interestingly, Huawei stands out as an exception among Android lines facing pressure. The Huawei Nova Series reported a 19% YoY growth and a 36% increase compared to the previous quarter, driven by models like Nova 16, Nova 15, and Nova 15 Pro. In addition, the Huawei Changxiang Series surged by approximately 94% YoY, fueled by the Changxiang 90 Pro Max and Changxiang 90 Plus.
On the other hand, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S Series experienced a decline, with a reduction in shipments of about 18% YoY in Q2 2026. Following a strong start for the Galaxy S26 in the first quarter, the momentum faded as the impact of its launch diminished.
As the smartphone market becomes increasingly competitive in the second half of 2026 with the upcoming iPhone generation, SAG predicts a potential drop in combined shipments for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max compared to the iPhone 17 Pro series. Additionally, Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18, which means it will likely continue relying on the iPhone 17 Series to maintain volume in the mainstream segment.
Overall, the Q2 2026 data illustrates a dual trend in the global smartphone market: Samsung leveraging its diverse Galaxy A portfolio for volume while Apple remains strong with its premium demand.
Source: https://inet.detik.com/consumer/d-8669553/samsung-galaxy-a-salip-iphone-17-jadi-hp-terlaris-dunia
