The Latin American smartphone market continued its recovery momentum in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 34.8 million shipped units with a 3% year-on-year increase, according to a new Omdia report. Samsung remained the regional leader, while Xiaomi secured second place with its sixth consecutive quarter of growth, highlighting the brand’s increasingly strong position across emerging markets.
The latest market data shows that Xiaomi shipped 6 million smartphones during Q1 2026, maintaining a 17% market share in Latin America. The company’s performance was mainly supported by strong growth in Central America and Peru, alongside continued demand for the REDMI Note 15 series in the mid-range segment. Xiaomi’s aggressive pricing strategy and broad retail availability continue to help the brand compete directly with Samsung and Motorola across the region.
Samsung remains dominant but Xiaomi continues expanding
According to Omdia’s market analysis, Samsung led the Latin American smartphone market with 12.9 million shipped units and a 37% market share. The company recorded a 9% year-on-year increase, reaching its strongest quarterly performance since Q1 2023. Samsung’s growth was largely driven by the success of its Galaxy A-series devices across both affordable and premium mid-range categories.
Xiaomi followed in second place with 6 million units shipped and stable 17% market share performance. The report specifically highlights the strong market response to the REDMI Note 15 lineup, which helped Xiaomi maintain momentum despite increasingly challenging economic conditions in several Latin American countries.
Motorola ranked third with 4.9 million shipments and a 14% market share. However, the company experienced a 5% annual decline, mainly caused by weaker sales in the highly competitive $100–$200 smartphone segment. Devices such as the Moto G06 and G17 reportedly underperformed compared to previous generations.
Honor and Apple record major growth
Honor became one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the region during Q1 2026. The company shipped 3.4 million units and captured a 10% market share, representing an impressive 30% year-on-year increase. Omdia states that Honor’s growth was heavily supported by the entry-level Honor Play 10 series, which performed particularly well in the sub-$100 category.
Apple also showed notable growth, increasing shipments by 31% year-on-year. The strong performance was mainly linked to the Mexican market, where Apple reportedly achieved nearly 80% annual growth thanks to strong demand for the iPhone 17 series.
Why the Latin American smartphone market is growing again
Omdia explains that several factors contributed to the continued market expansion in Q1 2026:
- Retail channels increased inventory levels ahead of expected component price increases
- Smartphone brands simplified product portfolios to reduce costs
- Lower memory configurations helped OEMs control pricing
- Rising NAND costs have not yet fully impacted consumer pricing
- Premium smartphone demand above $500 remains stable
However, the report also notes that affordability challenges continue affecting entry-level and value-focused smartphone segments. Consumers in several Latin American countries remain cautious with spending due to economic pressures and tighter purchasing power.
