The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has achieved something no other ultra-premium Android phone has managed before, becoming the best-selling Android handset during a second quarter. According to global market intelligence figures, the £1,020 flagship led Android market share from April through June 2026, marking the first time an ultra-premium Android device has topped the platform in a June quarter.
The milestone is notable because premium Galaxy models typically claim the top spot on the quarterly Android chart during the first quarter rather than later in the year. That pattern reflects the usual launch window for the Galaxy S line, which normally arrives between the middle of January and the middle of February.
Why a later launch shifted the record
This year, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S26 Ultra on 25 February, more than a month later than the Galaxy S25 series reveal in the previous year. That delayed unveiling shifted a portion of sales from the first quarter into the second, allowing the device to lead the popularity chart in a period outside Q1 for the first time.
Senior analyst Harshit Rastogi noted that the later launch “shifted more sales into Q2”. The Galaxy S26 Ultra outperformed its predecessor and accounted for more than half of the series’ total sales. An industry-first privacy display and enhanced AI capabilities were cited as features that set the model apart from rivals. Samsung has also increased its focus on flagship devices, boosting promotions and allocating resources to counter revenue pressure amid rising costs.
Where the Galaxy S26 Ultra ranked overall
While the Galaxy S26 Ultra was the leading Android phone for the quarter, it placed fourth among all handsets during Q2 2026. It was followed among Android models by the Galaxy A07 4G and the Galaxy A17. By comparison, the top Android phone during the same period the previous year was the mid-range Galaxy A16 5G, while the leading ultra-premium Android model was the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
As in the previous year, the top three phones overall in the second quarter were all from Apple. Those were the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone 17 Pro, keeping Apple ahead of the field despite Samsung’s record-setting result among Android devices.
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Image: phonearena.com
