International Data Corp: Smartphone shipments plunge 22% in September quarter
Smartphone shipments just saw their biggest drop ever, falling 22% in the September quarter, said International Data Corp.
The main reason? Memory prices have shot up, led by demand from AI industry orders, so phone makers are raising prices and cutting features.
That has made it tough for brands to stay profitable.
IDC expects no rebound until 2028
Chinese brands like Xiaomi and OPPO got hit hardest, while Apple and Samsung managed better with their pricier models.
IDC does not expect the market to bounce back until at least 2028, as memory costs are now about 350% higher than last year.
As IDC research director Nabila Popal put it, "Current indicators suggest that the market has not yet reached the bottom," so things could stay rough for a while unless you are selling high-end phones with strong distribution.