Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra did something no other Android phone of its kind ever accomplished before
Because Samsung changed the date of the flagship Galaxy S26's unveiling, history took place,.
Galaxy S26 Ultra had a record-setting performance | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy S26 Ultra did something this quarter (Q2 2026, to be precise) that no ultra-premium Android phone has ever done before. First, let's point out that according to global market intelligence firm Counterpoint Research, the top-of-the-line $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra was the most popular Android phone from April through June of this year based on market share.
Galaxy models aren't typically the top Android handset after Q1
This achievement is unusual. While ultra-premium flagship Galaxy phones do find themselves on the top of the platform's quarterly most popular Android list (again, based on market share), this usually doesn't happen after the first quarter. That's because the Galaxy S line is usually unveiled from the middle of January to the middle of February.
This is why the Galaxy S26 Ultra did something no other ultra-premium Android phone has ever done before
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Because Samsung introduced the Galaxy S26 Ultra on February 25 this year (more than a month later than the Galaxy S25's unveiling last year), the Galaxy S26 Ultra became the first ultra-premium Android phone to top the popularity chart in a quarter outside Q1.
Top smartphones by market share during second quarter 2025 and 2026. | Image by Counterpont Research
The later unveiling date did play a role in the Galaxy S26 Ultra's record-breaking performance because it shifted sales of the device from Q1 to Q2. That was the thought of Counterpoint senior analyst Harshit Rastogi who said that the Galaxy S26 Ultra's delayed unveiling "shifted more sales into Q2."
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra was the best-selling Android smartphone, marking the first time an ultra-premium Android device has led Android sales in a June quarter. Meanwhile, the later launch of the Galaxy S26 series compared with the Galaxy S25 series shifted more sales into Q2, the Galaxy S26 Ultra outperformed its predecessor and accounted for more than half of the series' sales. Industry-first privacy display along with enhanced AI capabilities differentiate the smartphone from its peers. Samsung has further increased its focus on flagship smartphones, boosting promotions and strategically allocating resources to mitigate the revenue decline amid rising costs
Harshit Rastogi, Counterpoint senior analyst
The Galaxy S26 Ultra was the first Android phone on the list for the second quarter but it was the fourth overall phone during Q2 2026. Following the Galaxy S26 Ultra was the Galaxy A07 4G and the Galaxy A17. Note that last year the top Android phone during the second quarter was the Galaxy A16 5G mid-ranger. The top Android ultra-premium model during the 2025 second quarter was the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Just like last year, the top three phones on the list were iPhone models
Just like last year, the top three phones on the second quarter list were from Apple. Those three were the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone 17 Pro. Last year, the top three phones were the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 Pro.
The Galaxy S26 series got off to a fast start this year
The strong market share performance from the Galaxy S26 Ultra might not really be such a surprise since the entire Galaxy S26 line was on track to surpass the Galaxy S25's pre-order total early in the season. For Samsung's Galaxy S flagship series, it is just another record for the company's flagship powerhouse to put on its mantle.
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