Apple Holds About 51% of Latin America's $600+ Phones. How to Split a 30-Unit Order With Samsung
Latin America's smartphone market shrank in the second quarter of 2026, and only two big brands grew. If you're deciding how to divide your next wholesale order between iPhones and Galaxy phones, that's the number to understand before you wire any money.
The source is Counterpoint Research, which published its Q2 2026 Latin America report on August 20, 2026. The page I could open showed only the headline and authors, so the figures below come from MacTech's summary of that report. I couldn't check the original tables, so treat the details as secondhand.
What Counterpoint measured in Q2 2026
Regional shipments fell 10% year over year, the steepest drop since the third quarter of 2023. The memory shortage is the main driver. Samsung grew 6% and led the region with a 38% share of total shipments. It also regained the top spot in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Apple grew 5%, helped by steady demand for the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17e, and by absorbing a price increase.
The report says Samsung's gains came at the expense of Xiaomi, Motorola and Honor. Memory shortages and price pressure are expected to last through the second half of 2026, with signs of recovery starting in 2028.
Reading the 51% and 40% correctly
Apple holds about 51% of the premium segment, which Counterpoint defines as phones above $600. Samsung is second with about 40%. Those shares are inside the premium tier only. They don't say Apple sells 51% of all phones in Latin America. Samsung's 38% is its share of everything, from entry level to flagship.
That difference changes how you read your own mix. If your customers mostly buy under $600, the Apple figure tells you less than Samsung's regional lead does. If your buyers are upgrading to flagships, the premium split matters more.
Why Samsung's growth matters more below $600
Samsung's 6% growth came in a market that fell 10%. In practice, that means it took share from others in the mid-range and entry tiers, where Galaxy A series phones compete with Xiaomi and Motorola. Counterpoint credits broad retail and online presence and aggressive discounts, along with Galaxy A and S series availability.
My reading, labeled as my own: when memory costs push prices up, buyers trade down to brands they trust, and a trusted brand with local retail reach wins those buyers. That would explain why Samsung grew while Xiaomi, Motorola and Honor lost share. The report doesn't state this causal link.
A sample 30-unit split, labeled as an example
This is an illustration for planning, not a forecast. Your market, your customers and your prices decide the real split. Say you serve a mixed retail base and you're placing the 30-unit minimum:
About 10 to 12 iPhones, weighted toward the models your premium customers already ask about.
About 10 to 12 Samsung Galaxy phones across the A and S series, so you cover both the under-$600 buyer and the flagship buyer.
The remaining 6 to 10 units in other brands or price points you already sell, to keep a spread if one tier slows.
The 30-unit minimum allows mixed brands and models in one order, so you can test a split without committing to a full pallet of one model. Ask what's in stock today, since availability changes, and don't assume a specific model is available until it's confirmed.
Where this advice stops
Shipment share isn't the same as your sell-through. A regional report can't see your town, your carrier mix or what your competitors price. Use it to set a starting split, then adjust after your first reorder based on what actually moved.
Remember, too, that a falling market makes overstock expensive. With regional shipments down 10%, a lot you can't move hurts more than a missed sale. That's another reason to start near the 30-unit minimum and reorder as the numbers come in.
Payment is by wire transfer, and in-stock orders are delivered to your freight forwarder in Miami 24 to 48 hours after payment clears. See the wholesale iPhone page and the wholesale Samsung page for what we carry, or the FAQ for terms.
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