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Apple Took Top Spot as Global Smartphone Shipments Fell 6 Percent YoY in Q1 2026: Counterpoint

Apple Took Top Spot as Global Smartphone Shipments Fell 6 Percent YoY in Q1 2026: Counterpoint

For the first time, Apple led the global smartphone market in the first quarter of a year, with a 21 percent market share.

Written by Nithya P Nair, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 10 April 2026 19:46 IST

Apple Took Top Spot as Global Smartphone Shipments Fell 6 Percent YoY in Q1 2026: Counterpoint

Xiaomi retained third place with a 12 percent share

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Highlights

Apple led the global smartphone market for the first time in Q1 2026
Samsung stood in the second position with 20 percent market share
Xiaomi retained third place with a 12 percent share

Global smartphone shipments saw a 6 percent year-over-year (YoY) decline in Q1 2026, as per a new report by Counterpoint Research. The shortage of DRAM and NAND memory components and weaker demand are considered to be the reasons for the downturn. Despite the overall market contraction, Apple led the global smartphone shipment with 21 percent market share, driven by the sale of iPhone 17. Samsung came in second place, while Xiaomi retained third place. Chinese brands Oppo and Vivo held fourth and fifth positions.

Global Smartphone Market Contracts in Q1 2026

As per Counterpoint Research's preliminary Market Monitor report, global smartphone shipments fell 6 percent year-on-year (YoY) in the first quarter of this year due to a shortage of memory components and weaker demand. The report notes that while some regions remained relatively stable, overall market sentiment stayed cautious. Brands have adjusted pricing and production strategies by delaying launches and products. Consumers held back on discretionary purchases amid tensions in the Middle East.

The report notes that Apple led the global smartphone market, with a 21 percent market share and 5 percent YoY growth. This is the first time that the iPhone maker had the biggest market share in the first quarter of a year. Strong demand for the iPhone 17, trade-in programmes, and growth in key Asia-Pacific markets, including India, helped the iPhone maker to register strong growth.

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With a 20 percent market share, Samsung was in second position in the previous quarter. The brand, however, saw a 6 percent decline due to weaker mass-market demand and the delayed launch of the Galaxy S26 family. The report notes that the early momentum for the lineup is strong, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra variant seeing the highest traction.

Xiaomi retained third place with a 12 percent share, but the company's market share declined amidst the ongoing memory shortage. The report states that the focus on the price-sensitive entry-level segment affected the brand. The premium segment is strong, as the Xiaomi 17 series is performing well in China.

On the other hand, Oppo and Vivo held fourth and fifth positions, with 11 percent and 8 percent market share, respectively. Vivo registered growth in India despite a slight decline. The report states that Oppo saw strong performance in the entry-level segment with the Oppo A5 series, while the Oppo Find N5 was well received in the market.

Vivo V70 FE vs Nothing Phone 4a Pro vs OnePlus Nord 6

Counterpoint says Google and Nothing posted significant 14 percent YoY and 25 percent YoY growth, respectively. Counterpoint suggests the outlook for 2026 remains weak due to ongoing memory shortages. The market research firm expects the memory crunch to last until late 2027. The report says brands will rely on software, ecosystem expansion and services for growth in the coming quarters.

iPhone 17

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Transformative and brighter ProMotion display
Powerful performance
Meaningful camera upgrades
More value-for-money
Great battery life

Bad
iOS 26 has glitches
Ineffective anti-reflective coating

Read detailed Apple iPhone 17 review

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A19

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

Xiaomi 17

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Vibrant 12-bit LTPO AMOLED display
Impressive still cameras and video recording
Perfectly usable 8K video recording
Good battery life
100W fast wired charging
50W wireless charging (using proprietary dock)

Bad
Average ultrawide camera
AI tools need some polish
Poor ultrawide video recording
Preinstalled third-party app

Read detailed Xiaomi 17 review

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Front Camera 50-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB

Battery Capacity 6330mAh

OS Android 16

Resolution 2,656x1,220 pixels

More Xiaomi mobiles Xiaomi mobiles price in India

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Lighter IP68 rated design
Privacy Display is handy and practical
One UI gets smarter with better AI integrations
Fast-charging finally
Impressive video recording capability

Bad
3x telephoto camera needs work
Low-light performance could have been better
Selfies don?t show accurate edge-detection
S Pen cannot be used as camera remote

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Display 6.90-inch

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 200-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 10-megapixel

RAM 12GB, 16GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1024GB

Battery Capacity 5000mAh

OS Android 16

Resolution 1,440x3,120 pixels

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple, Google, Vivo, Oppo

Nithya P Nair

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Nithya P Nair is a journalist with more than five years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in business and technology beats. A foodie at heart, Nithya loves exploring new places (read cuisines) and sneaking in Malayalam movie dialogues to spice up conversations. More