Pixels rocket back into the global top 5 premium smartphones

Google is definitely doing something right because Pixels are back in the top 5 global premium smartphone rankings (devices that cost above $600), with a highly impressive 105% growth year over year.

According to Counterpoint Research, Google’s flagships shot up in popularity, driven by the success of the Pixel 9 series, the company’s expansion into new markets, and its strategy of positioning the phones as AI-first devices. Sales for Pixels doubled last year, indicating that consumer confidence in the brand and its phones is growing at a healthy pace. It’ll be interesting to see how much further the Pixel 10 lineup can push Google’s market share in the second half of this year.

Meanwhile, Apple remained the largest selling premium smartphone maker in the first half of this year, even though gains were just about 3% compared to last year. Still, with a 62% share of the premium smartphone market, Apple is miles ahead of Samsung, which came in second with a 20% market share at the back of the Galaxy S25 series.

HUAWEI sits at the number three spot, with a 24% year-over-year rise in market share thanks to strong sales in China. Meanwhile, Xiaomi also grew by an impressive 55% and grabbed fourth place.