IPhone-maker Apple led global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2026, growing 5 per cent year-on-year, even as overall shipments fell due to a shortage of memory components, Counterpoint Research said on Friday.

Global smartphone shipments fell 6 per cent from a year earlier as Middle East tensions also weighed on consumer sentiment, the research firm said.

Apple led the smartphone market for the first time in the first quarter with a 21 per cent market share, Counterpoint said.

The firm attributed the growth to Apple’s premium positioning, integrated supply chain and performance in China.

The iPhone maker posted a 23 per cent surge in China smartphone sales in the first nine weeks of 2026.

Samsung’s shipments declined 6 per cent year-on-year in the quarter, giving it a 20 per cent market share, as a delayed Galaxy S26 launch and weakness in the entry-tier segment weighed on volumes, the research firm said.

Xiaomi maintained its third spot with a 13 per cent share, but dropped the most among the top five brands, according to the report.

The decline in overall shipments “is primarily driven by memory players prioritizing AI data centers over consumer electronics,” Counterpoint analyst Shilpi Jain said.

• Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed, of Reuters.