Global smartphone markets are shrinking―India, Europe, China, and Latin America all recorded declines in shipments or sales this year. The culprit? Rising memory costs, higher retail prices, seasonal dips, and soft demand. That said, one company is bucking this declining trend: Apple. Multiple recent studies from Counterpoint Research reveal Apple growing its month and quarter shares even as the rest of the industry struggles. Here’s the breakdown.
Where the Market Is Dropping
In Europe, smartphone shipments sank 10% year-over-year in Q2 2026, marking a three-year low for the region. Chinese manufacturers—Xiaomi, Oppo, and Honor—saw shrinking market shares, dropping to 15%, 4%, and 3% respectively. Samsung and Apple, meanwhile, tied at 34% each in terms of shipments share. ([9to5mac.com](https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/20/apple-bucks-downward-trend-as-reports-show-global-smartphone-shipment-and-sales-declines/))
China’s market has remained weak. Through the first 30 weeks of 2026, smartphone sales dropped roughly 8.6%, with the decline accelerating following the 618 shopping festival. Seasonality and memory cost inflation played a major role, along with demand being pulled forward before the festival. Apple reportedly entered its customary pre-launch slowdown in July, ahead of its new iPhone lineup. ([9to5mac.com](https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/20/apple-bucks-downward-trend-as-reports-show-global-smartphone-shipment-and-sales-declines/))
India has also endured a rough stretch: over weeks 14 to 31 (roughly April through July), most weeks showed year-over-year declines in smartphone sales. Only during major online promotion periods did sales rise. Overall, sales dropped around 14%, but Apple grew about 15% compared to the same period last year, thanks to demand for the iPhone 17 series and efforts to keep more affordable models accessible. ([9to5mac.com](https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/20/apple-bucks-downward-trend-as-reports-show-global-smartphone-shipment-and-sales-declines/))
Latin America and Apple’s Standout Performance
In Latin America, overall smartphone shipments in Q2 2026 fell by about 10% compared to the same period in 2025. But Apple and Samsung were the only big brands to post growth. Apple’s shipments rose roughly 5%, driven by steady demand for the premium iPhone 17 Pro Max and the newly introduced iPhone 17e. Older models also helped bolster numbers. ([9to5mac.com](https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/20/apple-bucks-downward-trend-as-reports-show-global-smartphone-shipment-and-sales-declines/))
Apple has not only been gaining in volume but also in the high-end price segment (phones over $600 USD). In Latin America, it controls roughly 51% of that premium tier, while Samsung holds around 40%. ([9to5mac.com](https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/20/apple-bucks-downward-trend-as-reports-show-global-smartphone-shipment-and-sales-declines/))
Across these regions, what’s clear is that Apple is one of the few manufacturers currently capitalizing on a challenging environment. While the industry’s overall sales and shipments are dropping due to economic pressure, inflationary memory costs, and seasonal purchase behavior, Apple’s strategy of maintaining model pull—especially in the premium segment—and shielding consumers from some cost hikes has helped it keep momentum.
