Apple becomes world's biggest smartphone seller in Q1 2026
Technology
Apple just became the world's biggest smartphone seller in the first quarter of 2026, thanks to the iPhone 17 and strong demand in Asia-Pacific.
Apple grabbed over 21% of the global market, growing 5% from last year, while rivals like Samsung and Xiaomi lost ground.
Rivals lose ground to Apple
Samsung slid to second place with a 20% share, and Xiaomi came in third at 12%, both seeing declines.
Google and Nothing actually grew (up 14% and 25%) but didn't crack the top five.
Rising memory prices made things tough all around, but Apple's trade-in deals and tight ecosystem helped it stay ahead.