The smartphone industry had recorded a sharp decline in Q3 2026, with shipments falling 20% year-on-year as rising memory and storage costs put increasing pressure on device makers.
According to preliminary estimates from Omdia, the decline in Q3 2026 was significantly worse than the 6% year-on-year drop recorded in the previous quarter. It is also said to be the lowest Q3 quarter since 2013.
Interestingly, the RAM crisis has affected smartphone brands differently. Samsung and Apple have managed to gain more market share, while brands that depend more heavily on affordable and lower-margin devices face greater pressure.
Samsung and Apple now account for 45% of global smartphone shipments
