New data from Omdia reveals that the Latin American smartphone market contracted by 12% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, totaling 30.3 million units shipped.

The upward pressure on DRAM and NAND memory costs, which trickled down to consumer price tags, took the heaviest toll on demand within the entry-level device segment. During the first quarter, vendors and channel partners managed to cushion the impact somewhat through advance shipments and inventory buildup. However, those protective measures weakened in the second quarter, exposing further strain in the low-end market, while the mid-range, high-end, and flagship segments demonstrated relative resilience throughout the period.

Samsung retained its position as the dominant smartphone vendor in Latin America, shipping 12 million units—a 9% increase compared to the same period last year. This performance lifted the company's market share to 39%, its highest level since the first quarter of 2022. The growth was primarily driven by its entry-level Galaxy A07 and A17 models, as well as the mid-tier Galaxy A37 and A57 devices. This upward trajectory was supported by the company's comparatively limited exposure to the memory component shortage, along with its well-established distribution and channel partnerships across the region.