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Global smartphone shipments fell 2.9% year over year to 293.8 million in Q1 2026, ending ten consecutive quarters of growth, according to IDC’s final results published June 23, 2026. The decline was uneven: Samsung and Apple grew, while Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo shipped fewer phones than a year earlier.
What IDC’s Q1 2026 figures measure
IDC’s final historical estimate puts Q1 shipments at 293.8 million devices, compared with 302.6 million in Q1 2025. The result is a 2.9% year-over-year decline. IDC says it was the first quarterly year-over-year drop after ten consecutive quarters of growth dating back to mid-2023. These are shipments, not a direct count of phones bought by consumers: IDC’s tracker counts new branded device shipments and excludes refurbished units and OEM sales. IDC’s Q1 release and tracker results identify the figures as final historical data.
Which smartphone companies grew or declined?
Samsung and Apple were the only vendors in IDC’s top five to record shipment growth. IDC’s table treats market-share differences within 0.1 percentage points as a statistical tie, so Samsung’s 21.2% and Apple’s 21.0% shares are effectively tied under that convention.
| Vendor | Q1 2026 shipments | Market share | Year-over-year shipment change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 62.4 million | 21.2% | +2.9% |
| Apple | 61.8 million | 21.0% | +4.4% |
| Xiaomi | 33.8 million | 11.5% | −19.1% |
| OPPO | 30.7 million | 10.5% | −9.9% |
| vivo | 21.2 million | 7.2% | −6.9% |
| Others | 84.0 million | 28.6% | −0.3% |
| Total | 293.8 million | 100.0% | −2.9% |
IDC credits Samsung’s return to first place to demand for the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the earlier release of its mid-range A-Series, even though the S26 launch came later. It attributes Apple’s growth to the iPhone 17 series and reports that iPhone 17 shipments in China rose by more than 30%. Those are IDC’s explanations and reported shipment figures, not independent product or consumer research. IDC also says Honor, Lenovo and Huawei grew outside the top five; Honor’s 24.9% increase was the largest among the top ten.
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Why shipments fell, according to IDC
IDC’s June 23 account points to restricted memory supply and higher memory costs. It said constrained availability limited shipments, while increased memory prices raised manufacturers’ bill-of-materials costs and led brands to raise prices. IDC said prices had increased by as much as 40–50% in several emerging markets, putting pressure on demand among price-sensitive buyers. The percentage is IDC’s reported upper-end increase in several markets, not a global average.
IDC also cited higher energy and logistics costs associated with the war in the Middle East as further downside risks. The tracker data establishes the shipment decline; the explanations for its causes are IDC’s analysis, not evidence from controlled consumer interviews or a direct count of postponed purchases.
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- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with Verizon, Spectrum, AT&T, Total Wireless, other CDMA carriers, it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
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What IDC’s later 2026 outlook says
The Q1 result should not be confused with IDC’s projections for the full year. In its May 26, 2026 outlook, IDC forecast a 13.9% annual shipment decline to 1.09 billion units. In a page updated September 17, IDC reported a further Q2 decline of 7.4% year over year to 276.3 million units and revised its full-year forecast to a 16.7% decline. The September forecast supersedes the May estimate as the newer outlook; both are projections, not Q1 actuals. IDC attributed the worsening outlook to the memory shortage and said NAND and DRAM costs were up more than 300% year over year. See IDC’s updated smartphone market page.
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- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with other CDMA carriers, and it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
- Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro). Battery: 5000 mAh, non-removable | A power adapter is NOT included.
| Region | IDC May 2026 forecast for annual shipment change |
|---|---|
| Middle East and Africa | −23% |
| Central and Eastern Europe | −19% |
| Asia Pacific excluding Japan and China | −14% |
| China | −13% |
| North America | −6.3% |
IDC said low-cost phones, particularly those priced below $200, and regions with a high concentration of those devices faced the steepest projected declines. It characterized North America as more resilient in part because premium devices account for a large share of the market. These forecasts reflect IDC’s May outlook and should not be read as observed regional Q1 growth rates. More detail appears in IDC’s May outlook.
The September page also projected a 2026 average selling price of $581, up 27.6% year over year, and market value of $613 billion, up 6.3%, despite lower unit shipments. It forecast foldable shipments to grow 12.6% to 22.9 million units, partly anticipating Apple’s entry in the second half of the year. These, too, are IDC forecasts rather than realized full-year results.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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