NuAxiSemiconductor trade intelligence
Memory chip inflation accelerates smartphone brands' retreat from low-end devices
What happened
Rising memory prices are squeezing smartphone makers and consumers, pushing third-quarter smartphone shipments to their lowest third-quarter level since 2012, and accelerating the market's retreat from entry-level devices. Brands are raising prices, cutting low-margin models, and limiting production, while delayed upgrades and interest in used and refurbished phones further weigh on demand. The source does not state the cause of the memory price increase.
Impact and signal
Medium impactImpact score: 60/100
Affected components and suppliers
memory chipsentry-level smartphones
memory price increasesmartphone shipmentsentry-level devicesused and refurbished phonesproduction cuts
Source and time
Source: DigiTimes Asia · 10/20/2026 · View original source
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