Global smartphone shipments in second quarter hit lowest in 13 years on memory chip crunch

Global smartphone shipments fell 11% in the second quarter to their lowest level for the period since 2013, as a prolonged memory chip shortage drove up handset prices and dampened demand, according to early estimates from Counterpoint Research.

Apple bucked the trend with a 3% rise in shipments, taking its global market share to a record 20% in the quarter on resilient demand for its premium iPhone lineup and keeping prices unchanged. However, analysts expect price increases in the coming months.

Here are more details:
• Memory prices extended their climb as suppliers prioritized AI data center customers over consumer electronics, forcing manufacturers to pass higher component costs on to consumers through price hikes, particularly for entry- and mid-range devices.

• Samsung reclaimed the top spot with a 24% share, benefiting from strong sales of its flagship Galaxy S26 series, better product availability and fewer price increases in markets such as India and the Middle East.

• Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo posted the steepest shipment declines among the top five smartphone makers, reflecting their greater exposure to entry- and mid-range devices.

• Counterpoint maintained expectations of global smartphone shipments declining about 14% this year and said the memory shortage is likely to persist into 2027.

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