The latest report from market research organization Omdia shows that amid the continued shortage of memory chips, global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2026 still increased slightly by 1% year-on-year, with total shipments reaching 298.5 million units. The main driving force for growth comes from manufacturers' "supply-side front-loading" strategy, that is, before the expected increase in component costs, large quantities of goods are shipped to channels in advance to lock in relatively favorable costs and ensure supply.
In terms of brand performance, Samsung regained the top spot in global smartphone shipments, with shipments reaching 65.4 million units in the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of 8%, and a market share of approximately 22%. Thanks to the strong demand for the Galaxy S26 series, as well as the recently launched Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A57, the mid-range to mid-range product lines have synergistically boosted overall sales.
Apple ranked second with shipments of 60.4 million units, a year-on-year increase of 10%, and is expected to occupy approximately 20% of the global market share. The report noted that overall demand for the iPhone 17 series remained strong, with user interest in the iPhone 17e in Europe and Japan higher than expected. At the same time, the demand for the flagship models iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max in the Chinese market has achieved a significant increase of approximately 42% compared with the previous generation, further consolidating Apple’s voice in the high-end market.
Xiaomi (including Redmi and Poco brands) ranked third, shipping 33.8 million units in the first quarter, corresponding to approximately 11% of the market share. However, among the top five manufacturers, Xiaomi also suffered the largest year-on-year decline in shipments, with an annual decrease of 19%. The rising cost of components has significantly squeezed its profit margins.
OPPO (including OnePlus and Realme) ranked fourth with 30.7 million units shipped, with a market share of about 10%. Vivo ranks fifth with 21.3 million units shipped, with a market share of about 7%.
Looking forward to the market outlook, Omdia analysts believe that the concentrated "jump start" on the supply side will bring certain fluctuations and adjustment pressure in the next few quarters. The current channel inventory level is relatively high, while end consumer demand is generally weak, which will become a key factor affecting the global smartphone market trend in the second half of 2026. The report reminds that in the short term, manufacturers may need to find a new balance between destocking and maintaining profits to cope with the uncertain market outlook.