Overview
- IDC reports RAM production is being redirected to AI data centers, tightening availability for smartphones and PCs.
- DRAM supply growth in 2026 is projected at 16% year over year, below historical norms, which adds cost pressure for device makers.
- Counterpoint forecasts memory prices rising about 40% through the second quarter of 2026 and expects global smartphone shipments to fall 2.1%.
- Counterpoint also projects average smartphone selling prices to climb roughly 6.9%, with lower-end models facing the sharpest increases as premium brands better absorb costs.
- Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which dominate DRAM supply, have indicated much of their 2026 output is already allocated, signaling continued tightness.