For years, streaming companies have fought to win the biggest screen in your house. Now, they’re increasingly fighting for the one in your pocket. As more Americans cut the cord and watch video wherever they are, smartphones have become one of the industry’s most important battlegrounds.
A new report from Counterpoint Research suggests that shift is only accelerating, with premium smartphones reaching a record 29% share of the global smartphone market during the first half of 2026. Apple and Samsung accounted for 84% of those premium devices, giving the two companies an outsized influence over the hardware millions of people use to stream video, follow live sports, and access entertainment every day.
Today’s premium phones offer brighter OLED displays, larger batteries, faster 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7 support on many models, AI-powered features, and processors capable of handling 4K HDR streaming, cloud gaming, and live sports without many of the compromises found on budget devices.
As more consumers upgrade, streaming services have a larger audience capable of taking advantage of higher-quality mobile experiences. It offers a glimpse into where streaming may be headed next.
The phone is becoming just as important as the TV
The traditional TV isn’t going away, but it no longer has a monopoly on streaming. Whether it’s catching part of a baseball game during a lunch break, watching YouTube videos while commuting, or keeping up with breaking news from anywhere, more viewing is happening on mobile devices.
A 2025 study found that just 36% of U.S. internet households still subscribe to traditional pay TV, while 42% regularly watch free ad-supported streaming services. Among viewers ages 18 to 24, smartphones have already overtaken TVs as the primary screen for watching video.
As a result, streaming companies have noticed the change in consumer trends. YouTube TV refreshed its mobile experience with a background audio feature that lets subscribers continue listening to live channels after locking their phone, making sports, news, and talk programming easier to follow throughout the day.
The shift is especially noticeable in sports, where fans increasingly expect to watch games wherever they are instead of waiting until they’re in front of a TV. A 2025 study found that 40% of sports fans now watch games exclusively through streaming services. Additionally, one-third of U.S. internet households subscribe to at least one sports streaming service, and they spend an average of $111 per month across subscriptions. That’s why leagues and media companies are increasingly building better mobile experiences for fans.
Furthermore, Netflix has wagered that smartphones will play a larger role in home entertainment. During World Cup 2026, the company launched a FIFA game that lets players use their phones as controllers while playing on supported TVs, blurring the line between mobile devices and the living room.
Streaming companies are increasingly designing features that assume viewers move between devices throughout the day. A user might begin watching a show on a phone during a commute, continue it on a television at home, and finish it on a tablet before bed. Making those transitions seamless has become just as important as adding new content.
It’s not just streaming companies adapting
The shift toward mobile viewing is changing priorities across the communications industry. Early this year, Comcast said wireless has become its biggest priority as cable TV subscriptions continue to decline. During the second quarter of 2026, Comcast shed 167,000 internet customers and 280,000 TV subscribers. Now the company is investing more heavily in mobile service as consumers spend more time connected through smartphones instead of traditional television and broadband bundles.
That would have been almost unthinkable a decade ago, when cable television subscriptions drove much of the industry’s growth. Today, companies that once depended on television packages increasingly see smartphones as the primary way to keep customers connected to their services.
For many Americans, especially in rural communities, the smartphone is already their primary gateway to the internet. Pew Research found rural residents are more likely to rely exclusively on their phones for online access, making mobile streaming not just convenient but essential.
Apple and Samsung are positioned to benefit
Beyond streaming apps, smartphones have become universal remotes for smart TVs, controllers for cloud gaming services, second screens for live sports, and hubs for casting content to larger displays. Counterpoint says Apple’s iPhone lineup and Samsung’s Galaxy devices now account for nearly 85% of the premium smartphone market.
The premium smartphone market is also becoming more valuable as consumers spend more on higher-end devices. Counterpoint defines premium smartphones as devices with a wholesale average selling price above $600, and the segment has continued growing as buyers prioritize better displays, cameras, performance, and longer device lifespans.
For Apple, that also strengthens its ecosystem through services like Apple TV, while Samsung benefits through Samsung TV Plus and its broader connected-device platform. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean premium phones are the right choice for everyone. A recent smartphone repair study found Samsung owners can pay significantly more for repairs than iPhone users, highlighting that long-term ownership costs remain an important consideration alongside new features.
The next streaming battle won’t be won in the living room alone
For years, the biggest question in streaming was which platform would control your TV. Today the question is which companies will control the screen people use most often? The answer is increasingly pointing to the smartphone.
As viewers spend more time watching live sports, streaming shows, short-form video, and news on the go, companies like Apple and Samsung aren’t just competing in the smartphone business. They’re becoming key players in the future of streaming itself.
That doesn’t mean televisions are becoming less important. Big-screen viewing will continue to dominate for movies, major sporting events, and family entertainment. But the days of treating smartphones as a secondary streaming device are fading quickly. For millions of viewers, the phone is becoming the first screen they reach for, and the rest of the streaming industry is already adapting.
