Counterpoint Analysis has printed its newest document on international smartphone shipments for Q1 2026, appearing that sturdy call for for the iPhone 17 helped Apple take the highest spot available in the market for the primary time in a primary quarter. Listed here are the main points.
‘Ecosystem stickiness’ drives iPhone gross sales amid element crunch
In step with the document, Apple’s international smartphone shipments grew 5% 12 months over 12 months within the first quarter of 2026, whilst the remainder of the marketplace declined, with some distributors seeing drops of as much as 19% over the similar length.
Right here’s Counterpoint Analysis on Apple’s efficiency:
Apple led the worldwide smartphone marketplace for the primary time for a Q1, attaining 21% marketplace proportion and 5% YoY expansion in Q1 2026. Apple stays probably the most insulated emblem towards the reminiscence disaster because of its ultra-premium positioning and extremely built-in provide chain. Steady sturdy call for for the iPhone 17 collection and competitive trade-in methods, along side ecosystem stickiness, drove total quantity expansion in spite of a softer macro atmosphere. The emblem skilled significantly more potent expansion in different key Asia-Pacific markets, corresponding to China, India and Japan, highlighting tough call for for iPhones and efficient methods in those high-potential markets.
As maximum widespread 9to5Mac readers will most probably bet, the cause of this sort of market-wide drop was once the continuing scarcity of DRAM and NAND reminiscence. That, mixed with weaker call for in some areas, driven OEMs to reduce shipments, whilst concurrently forcing them to “cross larger Expenses of Subject material (BOM) prices at once to the shopper,” additional cooling call for.
Curiously, Counterpoint famous that Google and Not anything noticed the most important year-over-year expansion at 14% and 25%, respectively. Alternatively, their volumes remained too small to damage into the highest 5, holding them within the “Others” class.
And talking of the highest 5, with Apple topping the rating for the primary time in a primary quarter with a 21% sell-in cargo proportion, Samsung got here in 2d with a 20% proportion and a 6% year-over-year drop, Xiaomi positioned 3rd with a 12% proportion and a 19% drop, OPPO adopted with an 11% proportion and a 4% decline, vivo positioned 5th with an 8% proportion and a 2% drop, whilst different OEMs mixed for a 28% proportion and a ten% decline.
As for what’s forward, Counterpoint says the “outlook for 2026 stays vulnerable, because the reminiscence crunch would possibly ultimate till overdue 2027,” including that “OEMs are anticipated to prioritize price over quantity, configuration updates, slicing low-margin fashions, and leveraging refurbished gadgets to retain funds customers.”
To learn the overall document, apply this hyperlink.
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