Global Smartphone Shipments Hit a New Low with 20% YoY Decline, Lowest in 14 Years as Continued Memory Constraints Tighten Supply

Global Smartphone Shipments Hit a New Low with 20% YoY Decline, Lowest in 14 Years as Continued Memory Constraints Tighten Supply — Live Feedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/global-smartphone-shipments-hit-a-new-low-with-20-yoy-decline-lowest-in-14-years-as-continued-memory-constraints-tightenContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. Global Smartphone Shipments Plummet 20% to 14-Year Lowhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/global-smartphone-shipments-hit-a-new-low-with-20-yoy-decline-lowest-in-14-years-as-continued-memory-constraints-tightenhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/global-smartphone-shipments-hit-a-new-low-with-20-yoy-decline-lowest-in-14-years-as-continued-memory-constraints-tighten#u124942Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:49:07 +0000Global smartphone shipments declined 20% year-over-year in Q3 2026, reaching a 14-year low due to memory shortages constraining supply. This downturn saw Samsung and Apple dominate the market, with Samsung leading and Apple close behind. The memory shortage drove prices up, affecting consumer willingness to pay. The decline marks the worst quarter since 2012.Why it mattersThe global smartphone market has been impacted by a memory shortage, specifically a DRAM and NAND memory shortage, which has driven prices up and constrained supply for most OEMs. This shortage, referred to as 'RAMageddo