China smartphone shipments fall for a fifth quarter as memory costs bite

Smartphone shipments in China have declined for the fifth consecutive quarter, dropping 4.3% in Q2 due to rising memory and component costs leading manufacturers to increase prices. Huawei and Apple were the only vendors to grow shipments by maintaining stable prices, while others like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo saw significant declines. The global smartphone market is also expected to contract sharply in 2026, influenced by similar cost pressures and reduced demand.