Apple share of the smartphone SoC market grew from 15% to 19% in Q1

Supply disruptions strengthen the strongest

Global smartphone system-on-a-chip (SoC) shipments declined 8% year-over-year (YoY) in quarter one (Q1) of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research’s latest Global Smartphone SoC Shipments Preliminary View report. However, it’s good news for Apple.

Counterpoint says the premium segment has remained relatively resilient, with higher costs largely passed on to end consumers. Meanwhile, the entry-level manufacturers are increasingly adopting lower-cost chipsets to keep smartphone prices competitive.

Qualcomm and MediaTek recorded double-digit declines in shipments. In contrast, Apple, Samsung, Google and UNISOC posted positive growth.

Apple saw its share of the global smartphone SoC market grow from 15% in the first quarter of 2025 to 19% in the first quarter of 2026. Some explanation: A smartphone SoC (System-on-a-Chip) is a single, integrated chip that combines all essential computing components—CPU, GPU, memory, and connectivity modems (5G/Wi-Fi)—into one unit.

Apple silicon is a series of proprietary, ARM-based systems-on-a-chip (SoCs) designed by Apple for its ecosystem, providing high-performance computing through a unified memory architecture and specialized components. They power iPhones (A-series), Macs (M-series), iPads, and wearables (S-series), focusing on superior power efficiency and security.

Source: Apple World Today

NB: Counterpoint Senior Analyst Shivani Parashar says that their integrated supply chains helped …

…Apple, Samsung and Google to better mitigate the impact of the ongoing memory crunch. Supply crunches affect the smaller more than the stronger. It always surprises me when the reactions to such events (such as Covid disruptions) suggest negative impact on Apple, the strongest of the market leaders.