Apple leads smartphone market for first time in Q1 amid supply crunch

Apple has taken the lead in the global smartphone market for the first quarter of 2026, capturing 21 percent share according to Counterpoint Research. The strong demand for the iPhone 17 series pushed shipments up 5 percent year-on-year, even as the overall market declined. Smartphone shipments fell 6 percent compared to last year. The industry is facing shortages of DRAM and NAND memory, key components that affect storage and performance. Rising costs forced many brands to pass expenses on to buyers, which slowed demand. Samsung came in second with a 20 percent share, but its shipments dropped 6 percent. Xiaomi followed at 12 percent, down 19 percent. OPPO and vivo posted smaller declines at 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively.… Read More