Samsung Tops Global Smartphone Market in Q1 2026, Beats Apple: IDC

SammyGuru is reader-supported. We have affiliate and sponsored partnerships, so we may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site — at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Samsung is off to a strong start in 2026, and despite mixed reports from different research firms, the Korean giant has a solid claim to the global smartphone crown for the first quarter.

According to IDC’s latest preliminary data, Samsung shipped 62.8 million smartphones in Q1 2026, securing a 21.7 percent market share. That puts it slightly ahead of Apple, which shipped 61.1 million units. The gap isn’t massive, but it’s consistent across multiple reports, even if the exact numbers vary.

Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Samsung’s Q1 2026 success

A big part of Samsung’s early 2026 success comes down to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The device seems to be a hit right out of the gate, generating strong demand within weeks of launch. IDC specifically points to the Ultra model as a key driver behind Samsung’s growth, along with an early rollout of its refreshed Galaxy A series.

Interestingly, Samsung and Apple were the only two brands in the global top five to post year-over-year growth in Q1. Samsung’s shipments grew by 3.6 percent compared to the same period last year, which’s notable given the overall market decline.

And yes, the market is shrinking. Global smartphone shipments dropped 4.1 percent year over year to 289.7 million units. That marks the first decline since 2023 and ends a long streak of growth.

The reason isn’t hard to guess. Memory chip shortages and rising component costs are pushing prices up across the board. In some regions, smartphone prices have jumped significantly, hitting demand hard, especially in the budget segment.

Nabila Popal from IDC explains: “The smartphone market has entered one of its most challenging periods, driven by acute memory supply constraints that are directly impacting both shipments and demand. Limited memory availability is forcing shipment reductions, while sharply higher memory prices are pushing up bill‑of‑materials cost and forcing price hikes by many top brands.

Popal adds, “In several emerging markets, prices have risen by as much as 40–50%, significantly weighing on demand in price‑sensitive regions. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are responding with tighter cost controls, reduced marketing and channel support, and increased use of despecing strategies—but such measures also limit growth.”

Written by

Abhinav Anand

Abhinav Anand is the News Editor at SammyGuru and a technology journalist based in New Delhi. Before joining SammyGuru, he contributed to numerous outlets, including Android Headlines, ExtremeTech, The Mac Observer, Financial Express, Economic Times, iGeeksBlog, KnowTechie, PhonesWiki, SlashGear, and more. You can reach him at [email protected].

XWebsiteLinkedInMore from Abhinav Anand →