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The Privacy Display has played its part in the Galaxy S26 success. | Image by PhoneArena
With flagship phone releases, the highest sales usually happen right after announcement, during pre-orders. That hasn't been the case with the Galaxy S26, which has seen steady growth in the weeks following its March 11 release.
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Following the February 25 announcement, the Galaxy S26 experienced record-high pre-order sales. The Galaxy S26 Ultra got the biggest slice of the pie, accounting for over 70% of the 1.35 million units pre-ordered in South Korea.
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It's hard to imagine the momentum would keep growing, but apparently, it did. According to a Counterpoint report, sales have been growing.
This has to be one of Samsung's best-selling phones! | Image by Counterpoint
Counterpoint estimates that S26 sales have increased by about 2% compared to the S25 series in the first three weeks after the global launch on March 11. The technology market research company has used data from 10 major countries.
What kind of upgrades are you hoping to see in the Galaxy S27?
It's not just the Galaxy S26 that has seen continuous demand, though. During the same three-week period, the entire Samsung Electronics brand has seen a 4% rise in sales. The research company used the same period after the Galaxy S25 announcement as a baseline.
Strong competition
In its report, Counterpoint identifies an interesting trend in Samsung's influence in key markets this year: even introducing new technologies like Privacy Display isn't enough to take some competitors out of the equation. Surprise: I'm not referring to Apple here.
Galaxy S26 sales have been particularly strong in the US, with the series growing by 29% over the previous generation. A similar tendency was observed in Samsung's home market, though no concrete figures have been identified.
The Vivo X300 Pro is one of the best camera phones from the brand. | Image by PhoneArena
However, Samsung didn't achieve dominance in India and China with its latest non-foldable flagships. Sales have been moderate, meaning no dramatic increases over the Galaxy S25. Brands like Vivo, Xiaomi, and Oppo continue to dominate in these regions.
These brands are well-known for their push in hardware advancements, new battery technology, and continuous camera refinements.
A broader look shows something else
Clearly, Samsung hasn't experienced 'continuous success' this year. | Image by Counterpoint
The graph above shows how sales have shifted over a 10-week period. The first week of 2025 starts on December 29, 2024, while in 2026 it begins on December 28, 2025.
By week 10, Samsung experienced its lowest sales period, with demand significantly below 2025 levels. While the decrease was 21% year-on-year, the market shifted in the first week after launch, marking a 6% increase, followed by 2% in the second week and 5% in the third.
In simple terms, that shows how important new product launches are. If Samsung took even longer to release the S26 series, it might have faced an even steeper YoY decline.
What's next?
Regardless of the later announcement (compared to previous Galaxy S models), the Galaxy S26 has been another success story for Samsung.
Of course, it's too early to avoid being skeptical. In my opinion, however, even if one of these leaks turns out to be true, the current upward trend is very likely to continue into next year.
Expectations are already high for the Galaxy S26 Ultra successor. | Image by PhoneArena
At the same time, as I see it, Samsung has to work on improving the Galaxy S26 Ultra's standout feature, the Privacy Display. While its usefulness has been widely praised, it was also met with some criticism.
I think the Privacy Display will make a comeback next year. But if it's massively improved, then the Galaxy S27's sales will be almost set in stone. Let's see if Samsung gives people what they want or sticks with its current approach for next year's lineup.
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Polina Kovalakova, a News and Affiliate Content Writer, has nurtured a passion for mobile technology since the era before smartphones. With a history of exploring a variety of devices, her insights into the mobile world are both broad and nuanced. Polina's non-partisan view extends to appreciating nearly every smartphone brand, a reflection of her open-minded approach to technology. Polina is equally passionate about uncovering the best online deals, tirelessly working to ensure her readers snag top-tier tech at unbeatable prices.
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