A review of multiple reports released by Counterpoint Research in 2026 provides a multifaceted view of the global and US smartphone markets in the first quarter.
The data covers market share, battery and charging comparisons, and sales trends, revealing distinct patterns across manufacturers.
Global Smartphone Sales Rankings
According to Counterpoint Research, Apple's iPhone 17 was the best-selling smartphone globally in Q1 2026, capturing a 6% share of worldwide unit sales. It was followed by the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro models, which secured the second and third positions, respectively.
The top 10 best-selling smartphones for the quarter included:
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy A07 4G
- Samsung Galaxy A17 5G
- iPhone 16
- Samsung Galaxy A56
- Samsung Galaxy A36
- Samsung Galaxy A17 4G
- Xiaomi Redmi A5
The top 10 models collectively accounted for 25% of global smartphone sales. Counterpoint stated this was the highest concentration of sales in the top 10 for a first quarter on record.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra did not appear in this ranking, though Counterpoint reported its initial sales were stronger than those of its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Battery and Charging Comparison: iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Oppo Find X9 Ultra
A separate hardware test compared the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra on battery capacity, power consumption, and charging speed. The reported specifications and test results are as follows:
Hardware and Specifications
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Estimated battery capacity of 4,823mAh (SIM tray model) or 5,088mAh (US eSIM-only model). Features vapor chamber cooling. Supports up to 40W wired charging.
- Oppo Find X9 Ultra: 7,050mAh silicon-carbon battery. Equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and 3D Cryo-velocity cooling. Supports up to 100W wired charging.
Battery Life Test
(3 hours of YouTube playback at 1080p resolution, 50% brightness, over Wi-Fi)
- The iPhone 17 Pro Max's battery level dropped to 90%.
- The Oppo Find X9 Ultra's battery level dropped to 94%.
Charging Test
(From 0% charge, using a 40W Apple charger for the iPhone and a 100W SuperVOOC charger for the Oppo)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Reached 35% charge at 15 minutes and 64% at 30 minutes.
- Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Reached 44% charge at 15 minutes and 74% at 30 minutes.
In this specific test, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra showed a higher remaining battery percentage after the playback test and a higher charge percentage at the 15- and 30-minute marks.
US Market Performance
Counterpoint Research reported that Apple's iPhone sales in the US grew 1.3% year-over-year in Q1 2026. This growth occurred while the overall US smartphone market declined by 5.7% year-over-year.
Counterpoint analysts attributed Apple’s performance to two primary factors:
- Stronger-than-expected demand for the base model iPhone 17.
- The delayed launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series, which was released in mid-March 2026. This timing created a gap in premium phone availability compared to the typical January/February release cycle.
As a result, Apple's share of smartphone sales at the three largest US carriers increased to 75% in Q1 2026, up from 72% in Q1 2025.
The largest year-over-year increase was recorded at Verizon, where Apple’s share reached 77%.
Counterpoint also noted that Apple kept the pricing of the iPhone 17e consistent year-over-year while increasing entry-level storage to 256GB. The report stated that competitors raised prices during the same period. In US postpaid channels, Apple outpaced Samsung in promotional scores for devices priced at $600 and above, with Apple's promotional power increasing year-over-year while Samsung's declined.