Smartphone Chipset Slump: MediaTek and Qualcomm Shipments Take a Hit

The Great Chipset Shift: How Premium Smartphones are Reshaping the Market

It’s no secret that the cost of doing business in the mobile world is going up. With the price of memory chips skyrocketing, smartphone manufacturers are being forced to pivot. Instead of leaning heavily on low-margin budget devices, brands are focusing on high-performance, premium models that can actually absorb these rising manufacturing costs. According to the latest data from Counterpoint, this shift is sending ripples through the entire chipset industry, changing the power dynamics between the world’s biggest silicon players.

MediaTek: Maintaining the Lead Amidst a Budget Slump

MediaTek continues to hold its ground as the world’s largest chipset vendor, but its dominance isn’t as undisputed as it was a year ago. Their market share dipped from 38% in Q1 2025 to 32% this year. The reason is simple: MediaTek’s bread and butter—the entry-level and mid-tier segments—is currently taking a hit as consumers in those price brackets tighten their belts.

However, it’s not all downhill. While we likely won’t see a Dimensity 9500+ (as manufacturers are currently focused on the standard 9500), the Dimensity 8450 is doing some heavy lifting. Thanks to the massive popularity of the Oppo Reno15 series—including the Pro, Pro Mini, and Pro Max—MediaTek is still seeing solid movement in the competitive mid-range market.

Qualcomm and the Samsung Factor

Qualcomm remains in the second-place spot, but they’ve faced some year-over-year declines as well. Analysts point to a few specific headwinds, most notably the Galaxy S26 series. Between a slightly later launch window and Samsung’s strategic decision to use its own Exynos 2600—the world’s first 2nm mobile chip—in more units, Qualcomm lost a bit of the market share they usually bank on during the first quarter.

Samsung, conversely, is enjoying a bit of an “Exynos renaissance.” By leaning on their in-house silicon for the Galaxy A57 and A37, they’ve managed to boost their market share to 7%, proving that their internal chip division is becoming a formidable alternative to third-party providers.

Apple’s High-End Dominance

Apple sits comfortably in third place, a position that reflects their status as the world’s second-largest smartphone maker. Even though they only supply their own devices, the massive demand for the iPhone 17 series has kept their A-series shipments climbing. A surprise standout has been the iPhone 17e; powered by the current A19 chip, it has significantly outsold the previous 16e, showing that even Apple’s more affordable tier is shifting toward flagship-level power.

Unisoc and HiSilicon: The Niche Players

Unisoc has carved out a successful niche by powering the Redmi lineup. Their T7250 has become a staple for 4G devices, while the T8300 is helping them gain traction in the 5G space. Meanwhile, Huawei’s HiSilicon saw a minor dip in overall shipments, but the demand for their premium Kirin 9000 chips inside the Huawei Mate 80 series remains incredibly strong, keeping them relevant in the high-end conversation.

As the market continues to favor high-performance hardware, the battle for chipset supremacy is no longer just about who can ship the most units, but who can power the most advanced features in our pockets.