Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) gained ground in the global smartphone chipset market in the second quarter, while Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) and MediaTek faced pressure from weaker shipments and a persistent memory shortage, according to Counterpoint Research.
The research firm’s quarterly smartphone application processor and system-on-chip report, published Wednesday, showed diverging trends across major chip suppliers.
Apple Gains On Stronger iPhone 17 Demand
Counterpoint said Apple’s chipset shipments increased slightly year over year in the second quarter. Stronger sales of the iPhone 17 series, particularly Pro models, supported the growth.
The firm expects A19-series shipments to exceed those of its predecessor. It cited stronger iPhone 17 demand compared with the iPhone 16 lineup and solid Pro-model sales across regions.
Apple captured 19% of the smartphone chipset market in the second quarter. MediaTek remained the leader with 31%, while Qualcomm held 23%.
Qualcomm, MediaTek Face Pressure
Qualcomm’s shipments declined year over year. Counterpoint attributed some of the weakness in premium chips to Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (OTC:SSNLF) using its Exynos 2600 in base Galaxy S26 models in select regions.
Meanwhile, the memory shortage and inventory buildup hurt Snapdragon 600- and 400-series shipments.
MediaTek also posted a year-over-year shipment decline. Memory constraints weighed on mainstream and entry-level products, while weaker sales of devices powered by its Dimensity 9000 series pressured the premium tier.
Samsung Exynos Bucks The Trend
Samsung’s Exynos shipments increased year over year, helped by the Galaxy S26 series. Midrange demand also benefited from the Exynos 1680 in the Galaxy A57 and Exynos 1480 in the Galaxy A37.
However, the broader smartphone semiconductor market remained under pressure. Counterpoint said global smartphone shipments fell 21% year over year in the second quarter, primarily due to higher memory costs and cautious inventory management. MediaTek and Qualcomm shipments each dropped by more than 30%.
AAPL Price Action: Apple shares were down 0.31% at $315.25 during premarket trading on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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