Counterpoint: Memory shortage to slash 2026 global smartphone shipments by 14%, a record decline

Normal
1

Hong Kong-based research firm Counterpoint’s latest forecast shows that, due to factors such as memory supply shortages and the situation in the Middle East, global smartphone shipments in 2026 are expected to reach 1.08 billion units, down 13.9% year-on-year — the largest decline on record. Standard DRAM prices are expected to rise to about three times their level six months earlier in the second quarter of 2026 (April–June). The supply of low-power memory products is expected to decline by more than 40% over the full year, putting some low-cost smartphones at risk of not being able to be produced normally. Counterpoint noted that the continued spread of AI is driving up semiconductor demand, making it difficult for limited chip resources to adequately supply the low-end phone market, and the memory shortage could persist until the second half of 2027.

Nikkei China