Memory Crunch to Reshape Smartphone Market; Apple Less Exposed
TL;DR Summary
IDC projects a 13% drop in global smartphone shipments in 2026 (about 1.1B) due to a DRAM shortage driven by AI demand for high‑bandwidth memory, pushing prices higher and likely keeping them above 2025 levels even after the crunch. Apple is expected to weather the disruption better than cheaper Androids thanks to stronger margins and premium-device demand, though it will still incur higher memory costs; the market may remain unsettled into mid‑2027 as supply tightness eases.
- DRAM Shortage Will Cause 'Seismic Shift' in Smartphone Market, But Apple Will Be Less Affected MacRumors
- Smartphone market poised for 'sharpest decline on record' in 2026 CNBC
- Smartphone Market Set to Shrink 13% Due to Memory Chip Crisis, IDC Says Bloomberg
- Memory price hikes will kill off budget PCs and smartphones theregister.com
- IT Distributors Warn Memory Shortages, Supply Chain Strains Impacting The Channel crn.com
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