Global smartphone shipments fell 22% year over year in the third quarter of 2026, according to preliminary data IDC published today. That's a record decline, and IDC puts the blame on the ongoing memory shortage, which has pushed component costs way up and hit makers of cheaper phones hardest.
Apple held up better than anyone in the top five. iPhone shipments slipped 4% to 57.3 million units, while Samsung stayed in first with 57.8 million, down 5.8%. That leaves Apple just 500,000 units and 0.2 percentage points of share behind. Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo rounded out the top five, with OPPO falling furthest at 34.5%.
IDC doesn't think this is the bottom. "The sharp downturn the industry has been bracing for finally materialized in the third quarter this year, with shipments declining a record 22% YoY. However, the worst is yet to come," said Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC. She said memory costs are up roughly 350% from last year and still climbing, though the quarter-over-quarter increases are getting smaller.
The global numbers follow IDC's China report from two days ago, where Apple's share rose to 17.8% even as its shipments there dipped 4.3%.
— via 9to5Mac