GoKawiilRyan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR Counterpoint’s Q2 2026 US smartphone sales figures reveal a 5% year-over-year decline, largely driven by rising component costs.
Meanwhile, the sub-$100 smartphone segment has reportedly seen a sales dip of 64% YoY in the US.
The research firm forecasts the average selling prices of future smartphones to go up, with the Pixel 11 already starting that trend, and Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 lineup expected to continue it.
The global energy price hikes precipitated by the Middle East conflict have impacted the purchasing power of many consumers. This is on top of the ongoing RAM shortage, which has raised component costs and left smartphone makers scrambling to secure more units. A combination of these factors has led manufacturers to either raise prices or shut up shop entirely. Some of these realities are now being reflected in a new quarterly sales report.
Counterpoint Research’s Q2 smartphone sales report shows a 5% YoY decline in US sales. Similarly, sales of Apple, Google, Motorola, and Samsung phones fell 4% in Q2 2026 compared to the same period last year. The impact of the financial crunch has been particularly harsh on the rest of the market, which has collectively witnessed a 45% YoY sales reduction in the US.
This has affected the sub-$100 smartphone segment as well, which has seen a 64% YoY decline in sales. Counterpoint’s report attributes this to some manufacturers either increasing their selling prices or leaving the segment altogether. Additionally, the more affordable carrier-branded prepaid phones appear to be losing ground as rising component costs force carriers to raise prices, thereby shrinking the pricing gulf between their devices and phones from brands like Samsung and Motorola.
Counterpoint further notes that low-end prepaid phones from Samsung and Motorola increased their share of the pie, also attributed to unavoidable price increases from smaller companies, with some even leaving the market. However, prepaid phone sales overall fell 11% in Q2 2026.
The research firm notes that carriers are increasingly relying on Samsung’s popular Galaxy A series of mid-range and low-cost phones, as well as Motorola’s Moto G series. Furthermore, the $200-$300 segment tripled its market share YoY in Q2 2026. This is largely due to recent price increases for Motorola’s mid-range devices, which have pushed them to the $200-$300 segment.
Looking into Q3, Counterpoint anticipates the ASP (average selling price) of upcoming devices to increase. The trend has already started to materialize with Google’s newly launched Pixel 11 series, which saw a $100 price hike compared to last year across all variants. Separately, other recent flagships like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra also witnessed a similar price bump over its predecessor. The upcoming Apple iPhone 18 is expected to see a price bump, as well, to continue that trend. If relief is ever coming, don’t expect it to arrive soon.
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