There’s bad news for Pixel sales in the US, and Pixel 10 series could be to blame
Source: Android Authority
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple and Samsung remained atop the US smartphone market in Q1 2026, despite year‑on‑year shipment declines.
- Google Pixel shipments fell 7%, with the Pixel 10 series blamed for this decline.
- Motorola was the only smartphone maker to actually grow in the US.
US Smartphone Market Overview
Omdia released its Q1 2026 smartphone market‑share report, showing a 3 % decline compared to a year ago.
- Apple: 60 % market share, shipments down 3 % YoY.
- Samsung: 24 % market share, shipments down 5 % YoY.
These figures match their Q1 2025 shares.
Google Pixel Performance
Pixel shipments were down 7 % versus Q1 2025, but the brand maintained a 3 % market share, keeping it in fourth place in the US.
Omdia attributes the decline to the Pixel 10 series, which “failed to replicate the momentum of the Pixel 9 lineup” a year earlier. The firm notes that the earlier launch of the Pixel 10a helped mitigate the drop. Aggressive carrier promotions remain a key driver for Pixel sales.
Motorola Growth
Motorola was the only maker to post growth in Q1 2026:
- Shipments up 18 % YoY.
- Market share rose from 9 % to 11 %.
Omdia credits the new Moto G phones, which accounted for over 70 % of Motorola’s shipments that quarter. Carriers and prepaid outlets capitalized on the market lull before Motorola implemented price hikes in April (source).
Segment Trends
Senior analyst Eric Chen highlighted increasing market polarization:
- Premium segment ($800+) declined by only 1 %.
- Sub‑$300 segment grew by 8 %.
- $300‑$599 segment fell 19 %.
- $600‑$799 segment dropped 6 %.