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Apple shipments expected to decline by 2% in 2026
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Apple shipments are expected to decline by around 2.1% in 2026, before returning to growth of around 2.8% in 2027, noted Counterpoint Research. However, it is likely to remain a comparatively resilient due to the sustained demand for the iPhone 17 series.
“Possible higher launch pricing of the iPhone 18 series, and changes to the timing of Pro and base-model introductions across the 2026 and 2027 product cycles could affect quarterly demand and channel inventory,” the research firm expects. It is also optimistic that Apple may launch their first foldable smartphone in Q3 2026.
Contrary to Apple, Samsung smartphone shipments are expected to grow by approximately 0.8% in 2026, despite wider market’s decline. Samsung is believed to do well because of their broad geographic presence, supply chain depth and more reliable access to memory and semiconductor supply.
Overall, the global smartphone market may decline 14.3% year on year in 2026 due to higher component costs, reduced availability of lower priced devices and weaker consumer affordability weigh on demand.