Apple recorded the strongest percentage growth of all major smartphone manufacturers in Latin America in the first quarter of 2026. iPhone shipments increased by 31 percent compared to the previous year – driven primarily by a one-off effect in Mexico, where Apple boosted its sales by 80 percent and rose to third place among the most important vendors.
The iPhone 17 series is proving to be a surprisingly significant success factor for Apple across various regions. Following strong results from China, where the iPhone 17 triggered a noticeable recovery for Apple's Chinese business, a new market report from the analytics firm Omdia now provides figures for another growth region. While the Latin American smartphone market as a whole is only growing moderately, Apple is achieving the strongest percentage increase of all top-five manufacturers in the region. Behind these figures lies a clear brand positioning – and a special effect in Mexico that dominated the quarter.
Key data from the Omdia report
The most important figures at a glance:
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Apple growth in Latin America (Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025) | +31 percent |
| Apple growth in Mexico (Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025) | +80 percent |
| Apple market share in Latin America | 5 percent |
| Apple market share in Mexico | 16 percent (3rd place) |
| Apple market share in Brazil | 5 percent (5th place) |
| Apple shipments in Q1 2026 | 1.8 million iPhones |
| Total Latin America market | 34.8 million smartphones (+3 percent) |
Who leads the Latin American market
Overall, the market remains clearly dominated by Asian and American competitors. Samsung leads with 12.9 million devices and a 37 percent market share, significantly ahead of Xiaomi (6 million, 17 percent), Motorola (4.9 million, 14 percent), and HONOR (3.4 million, 10 percent). Apple ranks fifth with 1.8 million devices and a 5 percent market share.
What is striking, however, is the pace: While Samsung achieved nine percent growth in Latin America and HONOR, with 30 percent, is close behind Apple, the percentage jump for iPhones is the largest among the top five. In absolute numbers, the 31 percent corresponds to around 400,000 additional iPhones compared to the same quarter of the previous year – a significant step for a region where Apple has traditionally operated as a premium outsider.
Mexico as a growth driver
One market accounted for the largest share of the increase: Mexico. Sales there jumped 80 percent compared to the same quarter last year, and Apple climbed to third place among vendors for the first time. Its market share of 16 percent is exceptionally high for the region and more than three times the Latin American average.
Omdia cites two reasons for the strong Mexican data: the robust response to the iPhone 17 series and an exceptionally good quarter overall. The analytics firm describes the performance in the country as "exceptional." Meanwhile, Brazil remains a significantly more challenging market for Apple. There, iPhones only achieve a 5 percent market share, ranking fifth – the gap to locally established manufacturers persists.
Memory chip shortage hits the lower price segment
A second finding of the report explains why Apple was able to profit in the region despite the higher price level. Rising costs for memory chips are reducing the availability of affordable smartphones below the $300 mark and are expected to have an even more pronounced impact on end-customer prices starting later in the second quarter. Senior analyst Miguel Ángel Pérez at Omdia describes how shortages and higher component costs are thinning out the offerings in the entry-level segment.
That's precisely where Apple isn't operating. The entire iPhone portfolio sits above this price threshold, and the Pro model is already positioned in the premium segment. While other manufacturers have to pass on price increases and lose customers in the entry-level market, Apple's position remains comparatively stable. The combination of the iPhone 17 effect and the market shift away from the budget segment thus has a twofold impact.
What the numbers reveal about Apple's Latin America strategy
Latin America has been considered by Apple for years to be a market with high potential but a narrow customer base. While the US, China, and Europe dominate the market, the region is traditionally more price-sensitive and therefore more difficult to penetrate with a purely premium portfolio. Recent data shows that a differentiated iPhone strategy – with a strong entry-level model, a Pro lineup, and targeted market development – can also work here.
Mexico provides rapid proof of this: Apple has nearly doubled its sales from the same quarter last year to the current quarter. Should this level be maintained in the coming quarters, the region would develop from a marginal growth market into a serious market for Apple in the long term.
Growth story with clear boundaries
Despite the dynamic growth, it's important to keep the scale in mind. With 1.8 million iPhones sold in Q1, Apple remains a niche player in Latin America. The jump to a 5 percent overall market share is far below the figures Apple achieves in Western industrialized countries. However, this growth momentum is an indicator of the direction Apple's international mix might be shifting – complementing, not replacing, established markets.
Apple's regional mix is expanding
The Latin America figures fit a pattern: Following the positive data from China, the strong sales launch reports from the US, and the stable business in Europe, Apple is now showing clear upward momentum in a previously weak region. The iPhone 17 series is thus acting as a growth driver not only in the major markets but also in smaller ones. How sustainable this effect is will become clear in the coming quarters – at the latest when the memory chip crisis impacts the market and the basis for comparison increases. (Image: Shutterstock / Captured Blinks)
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