The U.S. smartphone market experienced a downturn in the first quarter with the hot sales of the iPhone 17 propping up Apple Inc.'s "leading position".

The latest research from market research firm Omdia shows that due to weakened carrier switching activities, rising component costs, and delays in flagship model releases, the shipment volume of smartphones in the United States in the first quarter of 2026 decreased by 3% year-on-year to 33.4 million units. However, Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) still maintains its leading position in the U.S. smartphone market, with a 60% market share, despite a 3% year-on-year decrease in shipment volume to 19.9 million units in the first quarter. Omdia stated that Apple Inc. benefited from the delay in the release of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, which reduced competition in the high-end market. The iPhone 17 series accounted for 70% of Apple Inc.'s shipments for the quarter, while promotions for the older iPhone 15 models supported demand in the prepaid market. Samsung still holds the "second chair" in the U.S. smartphone market, with a 5% decrease in shipment volume to 7.9 million units in the first quarter. However, Omdia pointed out that early demand for the Galaxy S26 series remains strong, with pre-orders for the new generation S26 series increasing by nearly 25% compared to the previous S25 series. Motorola was the only major smartphone manufacturer to achieve growth in the first quarter, with a 18% year-on-year increase in shipment volume to 3.6 million units. The growth was mainly driven by the Moto G series and demand from prepaid channels before an expected price increase. Meanwhile, Alphabet Inc. Class C (GOOGL.US) saw a 7% decrease in smartphone shipments, as despite strong carrier promotions for the Pixel 10 series, it failed to continue the momentum of the previous generation products. Omdia stated that the latest quarter's data does not reflect a complete collapse in consumer demand, but rather is a result of market timing and price pressures. The organization added that the market is becoming increasingly polarized, with high-end devices priced above $800 and budget smartphones priced below $300 showing more resilience compared to mid-range Android devices. The organization predicts that as carriers continue to seek a balance between consumer affordability and rising device costs, annual smartphone shipments in the United States in 2026 will decrease by 4%. It is worth noting that according to Counterpoint Research data, despite a global decline in smartphone shipments by 6% year-on-year due to storage chip shortages and soft demand, Apple Inc. still led the global market in the first quarter of 2026 with a 5% year-on-year growth, capturing a 21% market share for the first time in the first quarter. The research firm pointed out that this American tech giant, with its positioning in the ultra-high-end market and highly integrated supply chain, has become the brand least affected by the storage chip supply crisis. The organization stated, "The strong demand for the iPhone 17 series, active trade-in programs, and ecosystem stickiness continue to drive overall sales growth despite a weak macro environment. The brand achieved significant growth in key Asia-Pacific markets (such as China, India, and Japan), highlighting strong demand for the iPhone in these high-potential markets and effective strategies." The organization noted that in the first quarter, Apple Inc.'s iPhone shipments to China grew by 20% year-on-year, the highest growth rate among major brands.