Counterpoint Research has published its latest report on global smartphone shipments for the first quarter of 2026. The report shows that strong demand for the iPhone 17 has helped Apple secure the top spot in the market. Here are the details.

‘Ecosystem Loyalty’ Boosts iPhone Sales Amid Component Shortages

According to the report, Apple’s global smartphone shipments grew by 5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. While other markets experienced declines, some vendors saw drops of up to 19%.

Counterpoint Research summarizes Apple’s performance as follows:

Apple led the global smartphone market for the first time in a Q1 with a 21% market share and 5% annual growth in the first quarter of 2026. Thanks to its ultra-premium positioning and highly integrated supply chain, Apple continues to be the best-protected brand against the memory crisis. The ongoing strong demand for the iPhone 17 series and aggressive trade-in programs, along with ecosystem loyalty, have ensured overall volume growth even in a softer macro environment. The brand has experienced significant growth in key Asia-Pacific markets such as China, India, and Japan, highlighting its effective strategies in these high-potential markets.

As 9to5Mac readers might guess, the reason for this overall market decline was the ongoing DRAM and NAND memory shortages. This situation, combined with weak demand in some regions, led OEMs to reduce shipments and also forced them to "pass on rising Bill of Materials (BOM) costs directly to consumers," further cooling demand.

Interestingly, Counterpoint noted that Google and Nothing saw the largest annual growth at 14% and 25%, respectively. However, the volumes of these brands were not large enough to break into the top five and remained in the "Others" category.

Speaking of the top five, while Apple secured the top spot in the first quarter rankings with a 21% shipment share for the first time, Samsung came in second with a 20% share, experiencing a 6% year-on-year decline. Xiaomi ranked third with a 12% share and a 19% drop, OPPO fourth with an 11% share and a 4% decline, and vivo fifth with an 8% share and a 2% drop. Other OEMs accounted for a total of 28% share and a 10% decline.

Looking ahead, Counterpoint states, "The outlook for 2026 remains weak, as memory shortages are expected to persist until the end of 2027," adding that "OEMs are expected to prioritize value over volume, make configuration updates, cut low-margin models, and utilize refurbished devices to retain budget-conscious users."

Follow this link to read the full report.

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