Omdia

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Global smartphone shipments hit 14-year low amid memory shortage

Q3 2026 shipments fell 20% to 254.7 million units; forecasts a 12% decline for 2026

Global smartphone shipments fell 20% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2026 to 254.7 million units, the lowest third-quarter total since 2013, according to Omdia. Memory chip costs are up about 350% since last year because AI data centres are absorbing supply.

Updated Nov 1

PC shipments post record Q3 decline as AI memory costs surge

Money Moves

Publishes independent PC shipment estimates

PC shipments fell 20.1% year over year to 62.7 million units in the third quarter of 2026, the worst third-quarter drop IDC has recorded. Lenovo, Dell, and HP each shipped more than 20% fewer machines as an AI-driven memory shortage squeezed the chips available for consumer devices.

Updated Oct 17