Global smartphone shipments slump to 13-year low as memory chip shortage drives up prices

Second-quarter smartphone shipments fell 11% to their lowest level since 2013 as memory chip shortages pushed up handset prices and weakened consumer demand. Global smartphone shipments fell 11% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, marking their weakest April–June performance since 2013 as a prolonged memory chip shortage raised handset prices and curbed consumer demand.