Apple iPhone shipments up 8% in Latin America amid worldwide smartphone market slump of 13.9%

Apple increased iPhone shipments by 8% year‑over‑year in Latin America during the first quarter of 2026, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 series and double‑digit gains in Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The growth helped offset declines in the region’s two largest markets, Mexico and Brazil, and lifted Apple’s share to about 8% of regional shipments.

At the same time, the global smartphone market is projected to contract by 13.9% in 2026, the steepest annual decline on record. A worsening memory‑chip shortage, intensified by geopolitical tensions and the shift of chip production toward AI‑focused devices, is hitting low‑end smartphones hardest. Prices for smartphones rose 14% in the first quarter while shipments fell 3.1% year‑on‑year. Premium brands such as Apple and Samsung are faring better, with Apple’s shipments expected to remain flat in 2026 and Samsung’s to fall only about 4%.

Analysts warn that entry‑level phones priced below $150 could disappear from many markets, and manufacturers of budget devices face mounting cost pressures and reduced margins.