Overview
- TrendForce’s Q1 2026 data show global smartphone production fell 1.7% to 284 million units, with Samsung producing about 62.6 million and Apple about 60.2 million.
- The research firm projects full-year 2026 production will drop roughly 16.2% to 1.051 billion units and says the decline could deepen if memory prices stay high.
- Manufacturers used stockpiles of cheaper DRAM and NAND to blunt near-term cost pressure but those inventories are being depleted and input costs are rising.
- Apple and Samsung raised Q1 output thanks to new product ramps and wider margins that help absorb cost shocks while lower‑margin Chinese brands face bigger profit and shipment risks.
- Higher component costs could force retail price increases, cut shipments for budget models, and add regional risk in markets such as Europe and the United States.