Global smartphone sales fell six per cent year on year to 272 million units in the second quarter of 2026, according to Omdia, as rising memory prices and supply-chain disruption worsen an already weak market. The decline particularly affects lower-cost manufacturers and could lead to sharper price rises for budget handsets, while better-resourced firms appear more able to absorb costs and protect their market positions.

Xiaomi’s shipments fell 26 per cent and Oppo’s 17 per cent, with price increases and smaller product ranges contributing to their losses. Samsung shipped 60.5 million phones and increased its market share to 22 per cent, while Apple shipped 55.1 million, up 23 per cent, reaching 20 per cent share; both companies benefited from stronger supply-chain resilience, although Samsung’s mobile unit still recorded a quarterly loss from higher costs.