Smartphone shipments fall as higher memory costs reshape market

Global smartphone shipments fell by 6 per cent year-on-year to 272 million units in the second quarter of 2026, as persistently high memory prices disrupted supply chains, raised component costs and forced manufacturers to overhaul pricing and product strategies, according to a new report by research firm Omdia.

The research firm said the decline followed front-loaded demand in the first quarter of 2026, with the market subsequently entering an adjustment phase driven by the ongoing memory...