US EditionSmartphone market poised for ‘sharpest decline on record’ in 2026
The ongoing RAM shortage driven by AI demand will raise smartphone prices by 14% and cause a 12.9% shipment decline, hitting low-end models hardest, IDC says.
- Today IDC downgraded mobile shipment estimates, forecasting a 13% decline in global smartphone shipments for 2026 to 1.1 billion from 1.26 billion in 2025.
- The reallocation of DRAM toward HBM has drained the global memory supply into next year, as AI companies buy large quantities for data centers just four months into the crisis.
- IDC's analysts note a scale advantage for larger vendors as the average selling price is forecast to hit this year; 'This is a scale game...' Ma said.
- Cheap Android models are set to suffer the most as manufacturers exiting the lower-end market face shrinking margins, while Apple and Samsung remain better positioned despite higher memory costs.
- With no relief expected until mid-2027, IDC warns memory prices may not return to post-2025 levels, with stabilization possibly only by 2028, entrenching higher smartphone costs.
63 Articles
63 Articles
Smartphone prices could jump 14% this year; IDC predicts sharpest shipment drop in a decade
The ongoing chip shortage has intensified pressure on Chinese budget smartphone manufacturers. The growing demand for AI technology has led to a significant shortage of memory chips, disrupting the global supply chain. A new report from market research firm IDC indicates that smartphone prices could rise by up to 14% this year. The report suggests that users planning to purchase low-cost smartphones may face higher prices in the coming months. L…
While gigantic data centers are devouring more and more memory chips, a disaster is looming for the normal consumer. A gigantic chip shortage explodes prices – and plunges the global smartphone market into a historic crisis. Meanwhile, the market researchers of International Data Corporation (IDC) are sounding the alarm. Experts warn of a tsunami-like shock that will capture the entire electronics industry. The gloomy forecast: Global smartphone…
The average price of the smartphone will increase.
Global smartphone shipments will decrease by 12.9% year-on-year by 2026, to reach 1.1 billion units.
‘The tariffs and pandemic crisis seem a joke compared to this’: Cheap phones could be gone forever thanks to the RAM crisis, a new report claims
The smartphone market could be forever changed by the RAM crisis, says a new report — and Android could be hit particularly badly.
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