According to International Data Corporation (IDC), global smartphone shipments fell 4.1% year-on-year in Q1 2026, totaling 289.7 million units – marking the first market decline since 2023. The drop is mainly due to memory shortages and rising component costs, which have pushed prices higher.
Samsung led the market with 62.8 million shipments (21.7% share), followed closely by Apple with 61.1 million (19.6%). Both were the only top brands to see growth. Xiaomi, Oppo and vivo completed the top five.
IDC expects continued market pressure due to high memory prices, especially in budget-focused regions, with stabilization likely only by the second half of 2027.
Source: GSMArena
