TechTarget’s Omdia Sees 1% Smartphone Market Growth and 90% QOQ Memory Cost Spike
Omdia’s latest research shows global smartphone shipments rose 1% year-on-year in Q1 2026, buoyed by channel inventory frontloading, while mobile DRAM and NAND prices surged 90% quarter-on-quarter and are forecast to climb a further 30% in Q2. Samsung led the market with 22% share, Apple held 20%.
1. Omdia Q1 2026 Findings
Omdia, a division of TechTarget, reported a 1% year-on-year increase in global smartphone shipments during Q1 2026, driven primarily by vendor inventory frontloading in distribution channels.
2. Escalating Bill-of-Materials Costs
Mobile DRAM and NAND prices jumped approximately 90% quarter-over-quarter in Q1 and are projected to rise another 30% in Q2, significantly increasing vendors’ bill-of-materials and squeezing profit margins.
3. Vendor Market Shares
Samsung reclaimed the top spot with a 22% share supported by robust Galaxy S26 pre-orders, Apple held 20% with stable iPhone 17 pricing, while Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo saw share declines amid rising costs.
4. Industry Outlook and TechTarget Implications
With supply-side cost pressures intensifying and shipments expected to contract later in 2026, demand for Omdia’s market intelligence may increase, potentially benefiting TechTarget’s subscription and advisory revenue streams.