IDC forecasts the global smartphone market will shrink 12.9% in 2026 to about 1.1 billion shipments, Bloomberg reported. The firm attributes the downgrade to an unprecedented DRAM and NAND shortage driven by AI memory demand, which will hit low-cost Android models hardest. Premium devices such as Apple’s iPhone are expected to weather the crisis better and may gain relative market share.
Key Points
- 1Forecasts predict 12.9% smartphone market contraction in 2026 to 1.1 billion units
- 2Advanced DRAM and NAND demand for AI drains supply, raising memory costs industry-wide
- 3Budget Android makers face thin margins, likely reducing low-cost models and boosting premium share
Scoring Rationale
High novelty and industry-wide scope driven by IDC forecast; credible source but limited actionable technical details for practitioners.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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