Apple Set for Market Share Gains Amid Smartphone Slump, But Huawei Looms Large

Apple's fortunes may be looking up as the smartphone market faces a downturn. The International Data Corp. (IDC) has cut its global smartphone shipment forecast for 2026, predicting a 16.7% year-over-year decline to around 1 billion units.

This news might seem ominous for handset makers, but JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee sees a silver lining. He argues that the decline is concentrated in segments of the market where Apple has limited exposure, such as entry-level smartphones.

According to IDC, iOS shipments are projected to decrease only 1.3% next year, while Android devices are expected to plummet by 24.3%, giving Apple's operating system a record 23.6% share of global smartphone shipments.

JPMorgan is even more optimistic, forecasting iPhone shipments to grow 1.3% to 243.8 million units in calendar 2026.