Global smartphone shipments fell 20% in the third quarter of 2026, to 254.7 million units, according to Omdia data released on November 2. It is the lowest third-quarter volume since 2013, in a market squeezed by higher prices and component shortages.
Samsung leads, Apple closes in
Samsung kept the lead with 57.8 million units — down 5% year on year — and a 22.7% share. Apple ranked second with 56.5 million units, essentially flat, and a 22.2% share, narrowing the gap to the leader to about one percentage point.
According to Omdia, Samsung was helped by its entry-level Galaxy A series and the Z8 foldable range, while Apple benefited from the iPhone 18 Pro launch and continued iPhone 17 sales, led by the United States and China.
Steeper falls for Chinese vendors
Xiaomi fell 29%, to 30.7 million units, as it adjusted prices in China and India. Oppo dropped 39% and Vivo 33%, according to coverage of Omdia's data — a sign that makers weighted toward low- and mid-priced models felt the cost increases passed on to prices more sharply.
Emerging markets, which once drove growth, faced the greatest affordability pressure: Africa posted the steepest regional decline, at 39%. Distributors and retailers also grew more cautious about restocking, given higher working-capital costs.
What comes next
Omdia forecasts a full-year shipment decline of about 12% in 2026 and another contraction in 2027, at a slower pace, with shortages of high-bandwidth and conventional memory keeping costs high into 2027. IDC's figures point the same way: 255.3 million units in the quarter, down 22%.
The figure should be read as what it is: shipments are not final sales to consumers, and the two research firms use their own methodologies — which is why their totals differ slightly, even though the trend is the same.
Image credit: Omdia smartphone shipment trend chart, reproduced by Seoul Economic Daily.
Fontes
- Seoul Economic Daily — Global Smartphone Shipments Hit 13-Year Low; Samsung Keeps Top Spot (dados Omdia)
- TahawulTech — Q3 2026 sees a 20% fall in global smartphone shipments (dados Omdia e IDC)
- Digital Today — Global smartphone shipments fall 20 percent; Samsung holds top spot (dados Omdia)
Transparency: this article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence, cross-checked against public posts and the internet sources listed below. We recommend consulting the original sources to confirm the details.
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