Omdia Report: Latin America's Smartphone Market Grew 3% in Q1 2026, Samsung Dominates
According to a new report from Omdia, the Latin American smartphone market experienced a 3% year-over-year growth in the first quarter of 2026, with shipments reaching 34.8 million units. This performance marks a continued growth trajectory following a record-setting fourth quarter and full year in 2025.
Several factors underpinned this quarter's growth. These include proactive inventory stocking by channels, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) managing cost pressures by simplifying product portfolios with lower storage configurations, and a delay in passing on the rising costs of DRAM and NAND components to end consumers. Structurally, demand in the high-end market (over $500) remained resilient, while the value and entry-level segments faced constraints due to tighter purchasing power.
Samsung led the market with 12.9 million units shipped, capturing a 37% market share. This represents a 9% year-over-year increase and marks the company's highest quarterly share since the first quarter of 2023. The growth was primarily driven by the strong performance of its A-series models in the low-end and mid-to-high-end segments.
Xiaomi secured the second position, achieving its sixth consecutive quarter of growth with 6 million units shipped and a 17% market share. The company's expansion was fueled by double-digit growth in Central America and Peru, alongside the solid performance of the REDMI Note 15 series in the mid-to-high-end market.
Motorola ranked third with 4.9 million units shipped, reflecting a 5% year-over-year decline and a 14% market share. The downturn was mainly attributed to a significant 37% drop in shipments within the $100–$200 price bracket, with the G06 and G17 models being key contributors to this decline.
Honor came in fourth, shipping 3.4 million units for a remarkable 30% year-over-year growth and a 10% market share. This surge was propelled by its entry-level Play 10 model, which performed exceptionally well in the sub-$100 segment, nearing half a million units in sales for the first time.
Apple rounded out the top five with an impressive 31% year-over-year growth. This was largely thanks to an outstanding performance in the Mexican market, which grew by 80%, and a strong market reception for the iPhone 17 series.
