Overview
- Counterpoint Research said Friday that Apple captured a 21% share in Q1 2026 with 5% year‑over‑year growth as global smartphone shipments fell 6% due to shortages of DRAM and NAND, the chips that provide memory and storage in phones.
- Samsung ranked second with a 20% share after a 6% shipment decline tied to the later Galaxy S26 rollout and weaker entry‑tier demand, even as the S26 Ultra drew strong early interest.
- Omdia offered a conflicting view, estimating the smartphone market grew 1% in Q1 and saying Samsung reclaimed the top spot, while warning that mobile memory prices jumped about 90% quarter‑on‑quarter in Q1 and could rise another 30% in Q2.
- IDC reported PC shipments rose 2.5% in Q1 2026 to about 65.6 million units, with Apple’s Mac up roughly 9% to 6.2 million, but it expects declines later this year as higher component and freight costs lift system prices.
- Analysts say vendors are frontloading shipments, trimming low‑margin models, and leaning on trade‑ins and refurbished devices, which could mean higher retail prices and fewer budget options for buyers through 2026 with some forecasts extending strain into 2027.