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IPhone-maker Apple led global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2026, growing 5% 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% 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 a first quarter with a 21% market share, Counterpoint said.

* The firmattributed the growth to Apple's premium positioning, integrated supply chain and performance in China.

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

* Samsung's shipments declined 6% year-on-year in the quarter, giving it a 20% 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% 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.