We have already confirmed you knowledge from Omdia exhibiting you that Samsung and Apple swapped locations from This fall 2025 to Q1 2026. Samsung took excessive spot from Apple with a 22% international market share of smartphone shipments, whereas Apple’s 20% share had it drop again to take the Avis place (quantity 2 however tries more durable).
Counterpoint’s knowledge says that Apple did one thing throughout Q1 it had by no means performed earlier than
Counterpoint has a unique story as its knowledge confirmed that Apple, for the primary time, led the smartphone market in shipments throughout the first quarter with a 21% market share. Samsung was subsequent with a 20% slice of the worldwide smartphone shipments’ pie. Throughout final 12 months’s first quarter, Samsung was primary, beating Apple in market share by the thinnest of margins, 20% to 19%.Counterpoint stated that Apple’s turnaround was led by robust demand for the iPhone 17 sequence, and an aggressive trade-in program. The corporate noticed its shipments rise 5% year-over-year. Samsung’s annual smartphone shipments fell 6% preserving its international share flat at 20%.
The iPhone’s place as an ultra-premium system shielded it from greater part costs stated Counterpoint
Regardless of reminiscence shortages main to cost hikes for DRAM chips, and rising costs for NAND reminiscence, Counterpoint stated that Apple was considerably shielded from these greater costs because of the iPhone’s place as an ultra-premium system. Additionally serving to Apple was its “extremely built-in” provide chain and Counterpoint had Apple taking the highest spot in shipments throughout Q1.
We interrupt the highest 5 countdown for one second to inform you about two manufacturers outdoors the highest 5 that had a particularly robust first quarter. The Pixel continues to benefit from its AI-related options and noticed an annual 14% acquire in Q1 shipments.
New Pixel 10 options just like the Magic Cue, which understands the context of what’s in your Pixel display screen to ship data to you earlier than you ask for it, helps drive the expansion. Changing the Google Assistant with Gemini AI makes my older Pixel 6 Professional the neatest system in any room I am in.
Nothing absolutely did one thing throughout Q1
The Pixel 11 sequence might be launched this summer time powered by the Tensor G6 software processor (AP). There are rumors about an improved face unlock system that may reportedly be safer.
Nothing was one thing else throughout the first three months of the 12 months, with a strong 25% enchancment in first quarter shipments. Counterpoint cited Nothing’s distinctive design, its place as a distinct segment model albeit with rising model consciousness by shoppers.
Apple, for the primary time ever, had the very best international smartphone delivery market share throughout a primary quarter.| Picture by Counterpoint
They are saying lightning does not strike twice, however Nothing CEO Carl Pei, who helped discovered OnePlus, has apparently created a long-lasting smartphone model twice. And as I all the time say (and have talked about to him as soon as) his “X” deal with of “getpeid” must be one of many wittiest X usernames of all time.
Again to the countdown, Xiaomi was third and as its smartphone shipments worldwide declined by a whopping 19% year-over-year, its first quarter market share dropped to 12% from 14% throughout 2025’s preliminary quarter. As the corporate is understood for its decrease costs, the DRAM chip scarcity and the part’s greater costs have actually harm Xiaomi.
The iPhone Extremely may play an enormous position in jacking up foldable shipments this 12 months
Oppo’s cellphone shipments declined 4% for the January, February, and March interval as its market share remained static for the quarter at 11%. Fellow Chinese language cellphone producer vivo noticed its smartphone deliveries fall throughout Q1, however solely by 2%. Its share of the worldwide smartphone market really rose by 1 share level from 7% to eight%.
2026 just isn’t anticipated to be a terrific 12 months for smartphone producers. We must always see some power within the foldable market as the primary foldable iPhone is meant to be launched this September alongside the iPhone 18 Professional and iPhone 18 Professional Max.
Some analysts anticipate the arrival of the lengthy awaited foldable iPhone Extremely to pump up foldable shipments by as a lot as 30% in 2026. Many might be trying to see if Apple and its show provider Samsung have been capable of lastly eliminate the crease that marred the look of the foldable inner shows thus far.
Total, Q1 international smartphone shipments declined 6% on an annual foundation based on Counterpoint. Remember the fact that the figures supplied by Counterpoint have been Promote-In shipments, which refers to shipments despatched to retailers and carriers.
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