Global smartphone shipments fall 20% in Q3 2026

Global smartphone shipments fell 20% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2026, reaching 254.7 million units. According to Omdia, this marks the lowest third-quarter volume since 2013. The decline is driven by rising component costs, particularly for memory chips like DRAM and NAND flash, which are seeing increased demand from AI servers.

Samsung maintained the largest market share at 23%, while Apple held second place with a 22% share, remaining relatively stable despite the market contraction. Xiaomi ranked third, experiencing a 29% decline in shipments. Other major players, including OPPO and vivo, also reported significant drops in volume as they faced pressure to raise prices to maintain margins.

Analysts expect the market to continue shrinking through 2026, with an estimated 12% annual decline, though the rate of decline may moderate in 2027. Some industry reports suggest that memory shortages could persist through 2029 or 2030, as major manufacturers like SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron have already sold out much of their 2027 capacity to large-scale clients.