Now Reading: Premium phones reach record 29% of global sales
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Premium phones reach record 29% of global sales
Global smartphone revenue rose 7% year on year to a record $109 billion in the second quarter of 2026, even as shipments fell, The Hindu reports, citing Counterpoint Research. Average selling prices…
The Story in Brief
Global smartphone revenue rose 7% year on year to a record $109 billion in the second quarter of 2026, even as shipments fell, The Hindu reports, citing Counterpoint Research. Average selling prices rose 8%, helped by higher memory costs and continued demand for premium devices.
Premium smartphones, defined as those priced at $600 or more wholesale, made up a record 29% of global sales in the first half of 2026, up from 25% a year earlier, The New Indian Express reports. Apple’s premium-segment share fell to 65% from 74% in H1 2022 as Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo gained ground in China. Apple still recorded 9% annual growth, driven by the iPhone 17 range.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy story is that falling shipments mean the smartphone market is simply collapsing. The opposite claim, that premium demand proves consumers are unaffected, is also too neat. Higher prices and memory costs are lifting revenue while making cheaper phones harder to buy. Apple’s 65% premium share, down from 74%, shows competition is real. The next test is whether shipment volumes recover without another sharp rise in average prices.
Sources (2): newindianexpress.com, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
