Time:2026-08-14Reading:886Second
The latest report released by research firm Counterpoint Research shows that in the first half of 2026, the proportion of high-end smartphones (priced at $600 or more) in the overall market reached a record high of 29%, an increase of 4 percentage points year-on-year.
Among them, Apple accounts for 65% of high-end smartphone sales, higher than 63% in the first half of 2025 but lower than 74% in the first half of 2022. Samsung remained stable with a market share of 19%, unchanged from the same period last year and higher than the 17% in 2022.
Counterpoint attributes Apple's growth in the high-end market to the strong performance of the iPhone 17 series, especially the hot sales of the iPhone 17 Standard Edition. This model successfully reversed Apple's downward trend caused by intensified competition in the Chinese market last year.
Compared with the previous generation iPhone 16, the competitiveness of iPhone 17 has greatly improved. This phone has added ProMotion high refresh rate technology for the first time, and the screen specifications are directly comparable to the Pro series, making up for the shortcomings of the basic model in terms of core configuration for many years.
In terms of storage solutions, Apple has also shown great sincerity. The official has cancelled the entry-level version of 128GB and started with 256GB, but the starting price remains at 5999 yuan. For most users, this entry-level configuration is sufficient for daily use.
It is worth noting that the price of 5999 yuan falls within the coverage of the national subsidy policy, and some regions currently support a subsidy of up to 500 yuan. This means that consumers can purchase this fully upgraded flagship model for only 5499 yuan.
Thanks to this dimensionality reduction strategy and highly competitive pricing, the market performance of iPhone 17 has been exceptionally impressive. According to Counterpoint Research data, its first month on the market led to a significant 22% increase in Apple's smartphone sales against the trend, while the overall smartphone market declined by 2.7% during the same period.
This dual situation of ice and fire not only confirms the strong appeal of iPhone 17 in the high-end market, but also accumulates sufficient market confidence for Apple's subsequent differentiated release strategy.
