Apple and Samsung benefit as memory shortage pushes smartphone shipments to historic lows

Samsung and Apple led the global smartphone market in 2Q26, increasing their market shares by 2% and 4% respectively. This growth occurred despite a general decline in global smartphone shipments, which reached historic lows due to memory shortages and economic uncertainty. While the broader industry faced significant challenges from component shortages, these two major smartphone makers continued to perform well, benefiting from the market shift even as overall shipment volumes decreased across the global sector.