IDC’s latest quarterly tracker shows global smartphone shipments slipping to 289.7 million units in Q1 2026, a 4.1% drop from a year earlier. The decline marks the first negative quarter since 2023, driven by acute memory‑chip shortages that have throttled both supply and consumer demand. Rising bill‑of‑materials costs forced manufacturers to raise prices, further dampening sales. Manufacturers also grappled with logistics bottlenecks that slowed inventory turnover.

Samsung led the pack with an estimated 62.8 million handsets shipped, capturing a 21.7 % share. Strong appetite for the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the newly released A367 and A57 models kept the Korean giant ahead of rivals. Apple followed closely, moving 61.1 million devices and holding 19.6 % of the market, buoyed by iPhone 17 sales, especially in China. Both firms were the only top‑five brands to show growth, underscoring resilience.

Xiaomi fell to third place with 33.8 million units, while OPPO and vivo shipped 30.7 million and 21.2 million respectively, all posting year‑over‑year declines. Analysts warn the memory‑chip crunch will keep average selling prices high, squeezing price‑sensitive buyers in emerging markets. US buyers feel less impact as premium phones dominate.