Rising mobile DRAM prices and tightening semiconductor supply are increasing cost pressure on the global smartphone industry in 2026. While Omdia’s baseline scenario expects shipments to decline around 7%, sustained memory inflation and macro volatility are expected to push the market into a deeper contraction, exceeding 15%, with vendors heavily exposed to entry- and mid-tier segments facing the greatest risk.
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Rising Memory Costs and Macro Volatility Weigh on Global Smartphone Shipments in 2026
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The Analyst Team
Zaker Li
Follow AnalystPrincipal Analyst, Mobile Devices
Zaker is a principal analyst at Omdia. He is based in China and his research focuses on the global smartphone industry. He provides in-depth insights such as supply chains, market competition, demand forecast, technological evolution, product strategies, and vendor business models.
Zaker has over 10 years of research experience in the consumer devices industry. He has a background in both industrial and research companies. He worked in TCL Group’s TV division and was involved in market research and strategic planning. He was also a senior analyst at IHS Markit for more than three years. He holds a master’s degree in management from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. Zaker often appears in popular media interviews, such as People’s Daily, Pengpai News, and Sohu. He is frequently invited to speak at industry summits, and his name and viewpoints are widely available on various websites.
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