Memory supply crunch to hit smartphone shipments globally

Facing a severe, supply driven memory crunch, global smartphone shipments ended 2025 with low single digit growth (year-on-year), supported by improving macroeconomic conditions and healthy demand during the holiday season, a report showed on Friday.

Global smartphone shipments grew 3.8 per cent in Q4 2025, extending the market’s recovery to a fourth consecutive quarter and marking the strongest holiday quarter since 2021, with most regions posting YoY growth except China and Eastern Europe.

However, the market is set for a major reversal in 2026, according to Counterpoint Research, with shipments forecasted to decline 12.4 per cent YoY, marking the sharpest annual contraction ever.