Omdia: Global smartphone shipments fall 20% in Q3 2026

Research firm Omdia reports a 20 percent year-on-year drop in global smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2026, with manufacturers shipping 254.7 million units during the quarter. The firm says this is the weakest third-quarter volume since 2013 and attributes the decline in part to rising smartphone prices.

Samsung kept its position as the world’s largest smartphone maker, shipping 57.8 million units, down 5 percent year-on-year. Apple followed closely with 56.5 million iPhones shipped, a figure Omdia records as unchanged from the same quarter in 2025. Xiaomi took third place with 30.7 million units, a 29 percent decline compared with Q3 2025. Oppo shipped 23.4 million units, down 39 percent year-on-year, and vivo rounded out the top five with 19.3 million units, a 33 percent decline versus Q3 2025.

Strategy shifts and outlook

Omdia notes brands are responding to component shortages and cost pressure by concentrating on profitable markets and core products. Companies have adjusted RAM and storage configurations and trimmed model lineups to manage rising costs and protect margins rather than pushing volume.

Omdia expects global smartphone shipments to decline by a further 12 percent this year, with the market likely to continue falling in 2027, although at a slower pace.