It is the year 2026 will be a bad year for smartphonesbut the Google Pixel continues appear as a bright pointWith a new report revealing that Pixel is already seeing growth this year as the rest of the industry struggles.
Counterpoint Research reports In the first quarter of 2026, the global smartphone market decreased by 6% year-on-year. Apple, which currently leads the market with a 21% share, saw a 5% increase thanks to iPhone 17 demand.
All other major brands fell.
Samsung didn’t lose any market share, but saw shipments fall 6% year-over-year. This is despite strong demand for the Galaxy S26 series. Xiaomi is 19% bigger, while Oppo and Vivo are down 4% and 2%, respectively.
The report reveals two bright spots in Android’s “other” market share. One of them is Nothing, which is showing 25% annual growth in Q1 2026. The opposite point It is attributed to “differentiated design, niche positioning and increased consumer awareness”.
Google Pixel also grew by 14% year-over-year in Q1 2026. The opposite point It says Google is “strengthening its presence in key mature markets” while citing “best-in-class artificial intelligence capabilities, computational photography and clean, user-friendly software” as the main reasons for the Pixel’s growth. The launch of the Pixel 10a in the first quarter also helped boost those numbers.
What to expect for the Pixel next year, but it’s off to a pretty good start.
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