IDC: Apple Closes in on Samsung as Global Smartphone Shipments See Record Decline in Q3
IDC said memory shortages and higher component costs drove the biggest quarterly drop on record, with Samsung and Apple nearly tied at the top.
- Global smartphone shipments plummeted 22.0% year-over-year to 255.3 million units in Q3 2026, according to preliminary IDC data released October 15. This marks the largest quarterly decline the firm has ever recorded.
- Memory costs have surged approximately 350% since last year as AI data centers consume available DRAM, forcing manufacturers to raise retail prices. Higher costs pushed consumers to keep older devices longer.
- Samsung Electronics led the market with 57.8 million units, while Apple followed with 57.3 million shipments. Despite a 4% decline in iPhone volume, Apple increased its worldwide market share by 23.1% compared to last year.
- Senior research director Nabila Popal warned "the worst is yet to come," noting that current indicators suggest the market has not reached its bottom. Growth is expected to remain constrained through 2027.
- Apple continues to absorb these challenges better than rivals, as wealthier buyers prove less sensitive to price hikes. The installed base generates significant revenue through services, providing resilience amid the industry downturn.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Global shipments dropped 20% and reached their lowest level for a third quarter since 2012. The scarcity of memories raised costs and forced brands to review their strategies.In Argentina, entry models are the most exposed.
The smartphone market has recorded the largest quarterly drop in the series in 2026. Between July and September, global shipments dropped by 22% according to IDC and 20% according to Omdia, with memory increasing as the main responsibility. IDC accounts for 255.3 million units, compared to 327,3 million units. ... Continue reading "World mobile sales plummet up to 22% due to the memory crisis"
Global Smartphone Shipments Drop 22% in Q3 Amid Rising Memory Costs, IDC Reports
Worldwide smartphone shipments fell 22% year over year in the third quarter of 2026 to 255.3 million units, according to preliminary data in a report released by technology research firm IDC, which attributed the decline to rising memory chip costs that have squeezed vendor margins and pushed handset prices higher. The results matched an earlier estimate from Loop Capital analyst John Donovan, who also reported a 22% decline for the quarter and …
Apple and Samsung Are Nearly Tied as Global Phone Shipments Collapse
The post Apple and Samsung Are Nearly Tied as Global Phone Shipments Collapse appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. Phone makers shipped 255.3 million smartphones worldwide in the third quarter of 2026. That is a 22.0% year-over-year drop, and IDC called it the largest it has recorded for any quarter in preliminary data released on October 15, 2026. Samsung Electronics and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) both gained share and finished nearly even at the top. App…
Apple Nearly Overtakes Samsung as Smartphone Market Suffers Record 22% Plunge
The global smartphone industry just recorded its worst quarter on record. Shipments fell 22% year-over-year to 255.3 million units in the third quarter of 2026. That’s according to preliminary data released Tuesday by IDC. Memory Costs Drive Historic Decline Memory prices have surged roughly 350% since last year. AI demand for data center chips bears much of the blame. The resulting component inflation hit vendor margins hard. It forced price in…
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TV Tech Industry NewsData: Global smartphone market shrinks 22% in Q3
The global smartphone market shrank 22 per cent year-on-year to 255.3 million units in Q3 2026, according to the preliminary data from IDC Research Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Shipments tanked 22 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in Q3 2026, marking the highest YoY decline to date of any quarter as the AI-led memory crisis continue […]
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