Gate News message, April 15 — Global smartphone shipments declined 4.1% in the first quarter of 2026, marking the first drop since 2023, according to IDC. The decline was driven by tight memory chip supply and escalating costs from the Iran conflict, which are expected to further suppress market growth. Apple (AAPL.US) and Samsung Electronics (SSNLF.US) were the only top-five brands to post growth, each increasing shipments by over 3% and holding roughly 20% market share.
IDC analyst Nabila Popal’s team noted that phone prices have surged 40% to 50% in several emerging markets, severely dampening demand. Apple saw strong performance in China with 30% growth driven by the iPhone 17 series, while Honor achieved 24% year-over-year growth through overseas expansion. Chinese brands like OPPO faced significant shipment declines due to soaring component and logistics costs.
Counterpoint Research reported a similar 6% decline for the quarter, with Apple overtaking Samsung in market share in its tally. Both firms attributed the downturn primarily to memory cost spikes. IDC added that smartphone brands are adjusting product lineups and cutting marketing budgets to cope with the chip shortage, which is expected to persist through the second half of 2027.
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