Global Smartphone Shipments Hit 13-Year Low in Q2 Amid Chip Shortage

Key Facts

Amid mounting pressure on global supply chains, the smartphone sector has recorded a sharp decline that reflects a slowdown in consumer purchasing power. According to Counterpoint Research, global smartphone shipments fell 11% in Q2 to their lowest level since 2013. This downturn is primarily attributed to a prolonged memory chip shortage, which drove up handset prices and significantly dampened global demand.

This contraction comes as tech giants like Samsung and Apple face challenges in managing production costs; previous reports from Samsung indicated that core component costs increased by over 10% annually (per Q1 earnings data). Looking at peers, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has seen similar shipment declines in emerging markets due to inflationary pressures, reinforcing the view that the crisis is not limited to supply shortages but extends to a structural weakness in global consumer demand.

On the macroeconomic front, the US ISM Services PMI data released on July 6, 2026, held steady at 54, suggesting relative resilience in other sectors that may partially offset the weak spending on durable goods like smartphones in the near term.