Overview
- Counterpoint’s H1 2026 data published July 29 showed global smartphone system-on-chip shipments fell about 15% compared with H1 2025.
- Reported DRAM and NAND prices spiked roughly 300% year‑over‑year in Q2 2026, lifting memory and storage to roughly 18% and 25% of a phone’s bill of materials.
- MediaTek and Qualcomm each saw SoC shipments drop more than 25% in H1 2026 while Apple, Samsung, Google and UNISOC posted shipment gains.
- OEMs are securing long‑term memory contracts and reworking product mixes to protect margins as chipmakers including Qualcomm notify customers of planned double‑digit price increases.
- Analysts warn memory pressure will last into 2027, which could keep retail phone prices higher and accelerate the shift to in‑house and AI‑focused SoCs.