Samsung to become world's leading smartphone maker in 2026: Counterpoint
What's the story
Samsung is set to reclaim its position as the world's leading smartphone manufacturer in 2026, Counterpoint Research has predicted. The company's resilience amid rising memory chip prices and a worsening supply shortage has been credited for this anticipated growth. Despite an overall decline in global phone unit shipments by 14.3% due to these challenges, Samsung is expected to see a slight growth of 0.8%.
Strategic advantage
Apple's loss is Samsung's gain
Samsung's growth amid the global smartphone market downturn is largely attributed to its highly integrated supply chain and mature distribution network.
"Samsung's return to the top position comes down to its internal component capabilities, broad portfolio and established operator and retail relationships," said Yang Wang, Counterpoint's principal analyst.
This strategic advantage puts Samsung just ahead of Apple in terms of market position.
Market challenges
Chinese brands to face greater shipment pressure
The report predicts that leading Chinese smartphone manufacturers will face much greater shipment pressure than their counterparts.
This is due to the ongoing memory supply crunch and rising component costs.
Wang expects drops in shipments of as much as 34% among brands most exposed to price-sensitive market segments.
He also noted that accelerating industry consolidation is likely through this down cycle.
Growth prospects
Huawei expected to sustain growth amid challenges
Only China's Huawei Technologies is expected to sustain significant growth. The company has built up its own hardware supply due to US sanctions.
Other brands like Xiaomi, Vivo, and Honor are reorganizing their portfolios and developing more premium models that can better absorb the higher costs of the essential components.