Galaxy S26 Ultra is the world’s most popular Android phone, and that’s a first

Ben Schoon | Aug 26 2026 - 7:30 am PT

Android phones are never the top-selling smartphones globally, but the ones that get closest are almost always budget models. In Q2 2026, though, Samsung achieved a major win with the Galaxy
S26 Ultra topping the charts as the best-selling Android phone globally.

Counterpoint Research details the top 10 best-selling smartphones globally in Q2 2026 with, shocker, three iPhones at the top. The base iPhone 17 topped the charts, followed by a duo of iPhone 17 Pro models. It’s basically identical to the same time in 2025, but with a key difference – they’re followed up by the Galaxy S26 Ultra instead of a budget device.

Where the Galaxy S25 Ultra barely broke into the top 10 last year, Samsung’s latest flagship beat out the budget-focused Galaxy A07 and A17 for that #4 spot.

The Galaxy S26 series launched in late February, but the Ultra didn’t make it into Q1’s best-seller list, showing that a huge portion of Samsung’s sales came after the initial launch. Counterpoint explains:

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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.