Overview
- The global smartphone market remained under pressure in Q1 2026, with shipments declining 3% YoY, driven by the shortage of memory components and weaker demand. While some regions showed relative stability, overall market sentiment remained cautious as OEMs adjusted their pricing and production strategies, some OEMs frontloaded shipments in anticipation of component price hikes and logistics cost escalation, resulting in a milder-than-expected market decline.
- CALA (Latin America) was the only region to witness 3% YoY growth due to favorable currency exchange rate which offset increased price to some extent. Expansion of Motorola and Honor also contributed to growth along with Apple re-entry in Argentina. However, Brazil and Mexico remained most affected due to economic headwinds.
- MEA (Middle East & Africa) recorded sharpest YoY decline (7%) due to global and regional headwinds affecting demand and supply. The regional conflict further impacted shipments during the quarter, though the overall disruption remained limited and was largely confined to temporary delivery delays. However, the broader economic impact is expected to intensify in Q2 2026, with increasing pressure on consumer demand and market activity.
- Apple led Q1 for the first time with 21% market share, growing 9% YoY, driven by strong iPhone 17 demand, proactive supply chain management amid memory constraints, and improved performance in China.
- Samsung ranked second and remained flattish supported by portfolio optimization and strong response for the Galaxy S26 series.
The deliverable includes:
- Single pivot format giving in-depth analysis of global markets
- 140+ brands now in comparison to 95 brands earlier
- Break out of key countries in each region to give a further granular view of the regions
- 18 countries view as compared to six earlier
- More visuals and analysis by country and by regions
