The smartphone market is in difficulty and has just closed the third quarter of 2026 with a sharp decline. This is the worst third quarter since 2013 for the sector. It’s all aboutto a crisis of memorieswhich is driving up prices and causing huge problems also for the PC market.
A black quarter for the smartphone sector
The confirmation regarding the trend of the smartphone sector comes from a recent report Of Omg. Analysts have highlighted a 20% drop of shipments during the third quarter of 2026 (compared to the same period last year). This decline follows -6% in the second quarter.
The sharpest declines are concentrated in regions where cheap devices are more widespread. This category, in fact, is the most affected by the crisis.
The analysis of shipments by OEM confirms a strengthening the leading position of Samsung and Applewho lead the industry.
The table below summarizes theshipment trend of the top five manufacturers on the market. Samsung loses 5% while Apple records data in line with last year.
The Chinese “big 3” (OPPO, Xiaomi and Vivo) collapse and the other manufacturers, a category that includes HONOR, Motorola, Google and many others, also record a sharp decline.
In this downturn scenario, the polarization of the sector is evident. Apple’s online data and Samsung’s modest decline demonstrate how the top-of-the-range segment is less vulnerable to industrial cost fluctuations. High-spending consumers continue to purchase, allowing the two leaders to consolidate their market shares to the detriment of their eastern competitors, whose core business is strongly rooted in the more economical segments.
