Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series outsold the S25 by 29% over its first three weeks

2026 is shaping up to be a rocky one for smartphone brands, thanks largely to the ongoing crisis over RAM and storage availability. You wouldn’t know that from looking at early Galaxy S26 sales numbers, though, as a new report shows strong demand for Samsung’s latest trio of flagships.

According to new findings from Counterpoint Research, Samsung — alongside new devices from Google and Apple — helped breathe new life into a sluggish smartphone market. And while the iPhone 17e and (to a lesser extent) the Pixel 10a did help boost those numbers, it’s Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup that really seems to be the hit of the spring. Over the first three weeks of sales, the S26 series moved 29% more units than its direct predecessor over its own three-week debut, with 71% of consumers opting to pick up the top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Much of that growth seemed to come from typical Plus buyers, who might’ve seen the price increase as an easy sell to move up-market. Counterpoint also points to strong deals on the Ultra, specifically from AT&T and T-Mobile, as reasons for consumers flocking to Samsung’s $1,300 smartphone, alongside its very cool (and only semi-controversial) Privacy Display. Overall, S26 demand has been up year-over-year since its initial debut, with strong pre-order sales that seem to suggest the company’s move back to a March release date might have helped drum up interest.

It’s good news for Samsung and the entire mobile market, which saw 5% growth compared to 2025 in the weeks following these three launches. We’re already seeing prices increase on existing hardware — with Samsung itself a major push in this direction — which could also be pushing shoppers to upgrade right at launch to avoid any future price hikes. It’s unclear what the rest of the year holds for upcoming launches like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Pixel 11, but if those phones launch with anything approaching typical pricing, don’t be surprised if they’re showing just as much growth over their own respective predecessors.