Apple led global smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2026, achieving a 5% year-on-year growth despite an overall decline in smartphone shipments, Reuters reports.
Apple’s market presence grew significantly, capturing a 21% share, marking its first lead in a first quarter. This success comes amid a broader market contraction, highlighted by a 6% year-on-year decrease in smartphone shipments primarily due to a shortage of memory components and decreased consumer spending spurred by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The surge in Apple’s performance can be attributed to its premium positioning, robust integrated supply chain, and particularly strong sales in China. During the initial nine weeks of 2026, Apple reported a remarkable 23% increase in smartphone sales within the Chinese market.
Counterpoint Research noted that Xiaomi experienced the largest decline among the top five smartphone brands, reflecting the challenging market conditions. The firm emphasized that the overall drop in smartphone shipments is chiefly driven by memory suppliers focusing on AI data centers rather than consumer electronics.
According to Counterpoint analyst Shilpi Jain, “The decline in overall shipments is primarily driven by memory players prioritizing AI data centers over consumer electronics.”
