Smartphone Chips: Market Share Declines for MediaTek and Qualcomm, Apple and Samsung Grow

Smartphone chip manufacturers are facing a potential decline in shipments for the sector, linked to the memory crisis that is causing a significant drop in sales of new budget smartphones.

A recent analysis by Counterpoint has highlighted the power dynamics among various producers, emphasizing MediaTek's leadership; however, it is experiencing a sharp decline in market share, likely tied to the slowdown in shipments of budget smartphones. Qualcomm also reports a reduction in market share. Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung are growing.

Data for the first quarter of 2026 shows that MediaTek leads the smartphone chip market with a 32% market share. This is significantly lower than the figures reached in Q1 of 2024 and 2025. Qualcomm has also registered a contraction, settling at 23%, down from 27% in both Q1 2024 and 2025.

Apple, on the other hand, has seen growth, closing the quarter with a market share of 19%, a noticeable increase compared to data from the last two years, always on a quarterly basis. This success is attributed to high demand for the recently updated iPhone 17 series with the new 17e.

Among the most interesting data, Samsung has also recorded growth, closing the quarter with a 7% market share. This is the highest quarterly figure the Korean company has achieved with its Exynos range in recent years. The introduction of the 2nm manufacturing process has boosted activity in the sector, and in the future, the market share could continue to grow.