Recently, market research firm Counterpoint Research released its latest industry report. In the first half of 2026, the global high-end smartphone market (with a wholesale average selling price above $600, approximately RMB 4,058) demonstrated strong resilience, with overall sales increasing by 5% year-on-year.
The share of high-end models in the overall smartphone market rose directly from 25% in the first half of 2025 to a record 29%, meaning one out of every three phones sold belongs to the high-end tier. The trend of consumption upgrading is now very clear.
The continuous rise in costs for storage and various core components is completely reshaping the pricing structure of smartphones, creating a rare industry window for major mobile phone manufacturers to accelerate their premiumization strategies.
As the retail prices of mid-range Android devices continue to rise, the price gap between mid-range phones and high-end flagships—especially older models with price cuts and discounts—is rapidly narrowing. For consumers planning to upgrade their devices, stretching their budget slightly to purchase a flagship model with a comprehensively enhanced experience has become a more cost-effective upgrade choice.
Premiumization will become the core competitive strategy for the entire smartphone industry moving forward. The industry's focus has completely shifted from blindly competing on shipment volumes to maximizing product value and operating profits. All major manufacturers are positioning their products in higher price brackets, prioritizing the protection of their profit margins in a saturated market.
On the other hand, the average device replacement cycle for global consumers is lengthening. Many users are willing to increase their budget to invest in high-end devices with longer lifespans and top-tier performance configurations. Spending more upfront to ensure smooth usage for the next two to three years, or even four to five years, proves to be more cost-effective in the long run.
The report also highlights the performance of various brands in the high-end segment during the first half of 2026: Apple's high-end phone sales grew by 9% year-on-year, capturing a 65% share of the entire high-end market. This growth was primarily driven by the iPhone 17 series, with stable demand even for the mass-market base models.
Although Samsung's Galaxy S26 series was released later than usual, it still achieved a 3% year-on-year growth in the first half of the year, capturing an 18% share of this market segment. The industry-first privacy display is the core differentiated selling point of the series, with Ultra version sales accounting for more than half of the total Galaxy S26 series sales.
OPPO achieved a remarkable 69% year-on-year growth in the high-end segment, the highest growth rate among all leading brands. The Find X9 series served as the core growth driver in its high-end track, and the supplementary updates to this product line in April 2026 provided additional momentum for subsequent market performance.
vivo's high-end phone sales increased by 20% year-on-year in the first half of the year. The newly launched X300 series outperformed its predecessor in all aspects, firmly establishing itself in the high-price segment.