Samsung’s Smartphone Chip Shipments Increased in Q1 2026, Thanks to Galaxy S26

Samsung saw a rise in smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) shipments in the first quarter of 2026. This comes at a time when the global smartphone SoC industry is suffering from declining demand. The Korean firm’s Exynos 2600 chip, which powers the Galaxy S26 series, may have played a key role in pushing growth.

Samsung sees growth in SoC share while Qualcomm and MediaTek see declines

According to data from Counterpoint Research, Samsung’s share of the global smartphone SoC market (shipment-wise) was 7% in Q1 2026. This is an increase of 5% from Q1 2025. While the company’s market share remains well behind the top three chip vendors, it has strengthened its presence in this space.

Samsung’s competitors, such as Qualcomm and MediaTek, saw double-digit declines in shipments. The former’s share stood at 24%, while the latter led the market with 33% share. Meanwhile, Apple secured 19% share thanks to stronger supply chain integration.

“Qualcomm was expected to benefit from premiumization, but the impact was limited due to Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series using both Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Exynos 2600, along with softer demand for the Xiaomi 17 series. MediaTek, on the other hand, faced greater pressure in the entry-level segment,” said Senior Analyst Shivani Parashar.

Samsung debuted its next-generation Galaxy S26 series on February 25 this year with a dual-chip strategy. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ feature the in-house Exynos 2600 alongside Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, depending on the region. This strategy appears to have helped the Korean firm improve its shipment performance.

Speaking of global smartphone SoC shipments, the market fell 8% year on year in Q1 2026. The slowdown was mainly due to softer handset demand and the ongoing memory crunch. Meanwhile, the outlook for Q2 2026 is also not positive, with shipments expected to decline by double digits.

For the full year, the research firm says Smartphone SoC shipments may see a double-digit year-on-year drop in 2026, though Samsung’s share may increase by 7%. The recovery may not happen until early 2028.