TrendForce: global smartphone market declined 1.7% in Q1, things will get worse later this year

284 million smartphones were produced globally in the first three months of 2026, a decline of 1.7% compared to the same period last year, reports TrendForce. The impact of increasing memory prices was minimal, but only because manufacturers had stockpiles of cheap memory available – those are gradually being exhausted.

For the full year 2026, the analysts’ prediction is dire – 1.051 billion units produced or 16.2% less than last year. And this is the good option as TrendForce notes: “the annual decline could become even more pronounced if memory price increases remain elevated and brands…