# Smartphone shipments in India seen down 20% in Q3 2026 2026-10-15T16:31:28+00:00 | Technology | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A global shortage of memory chips is pushing up smartphone prices, with shipments in India estimated to fall by about 20% year-on-year in the July-September 2026 quarter, according to initial estimates from Counterpoint Research. The third quarter is set to be the weakest for global smartphone shipments since 2012, the research firm said, as chipmakers prioritise high-margin memory chips used in AI data centres over those used in phones. The shortage affects DRAM chips used for RAM and NAND flash memory used for storage, both of which are becoming more expensive for phone makers. As a result, the retail price of smartphones worldwide has risen by about 20% so far in 2026. In India, where a large number of buyers look for phones in the Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 range, the impact could be felt more sharply. Companies are either raising prices or reducing supply of low-margin models. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The 20% shipment decline is an initial estimate, not a final figure, but it points to a structural shift: memory chip supply is being diverted to AI data centres, which pay more. Phone makers face a choice between absorbing higher costs or passing them on, and the data shows they are doing both. For India's budget-phone buyers, this means fewer options and higher prices in the months ahead. The next concrete check will be Counterpoint's final Q3 2026 India shipment data, which will confirm whether the trend held through the festive season. ## Coverage - aajtak.in Led with market data and industry estimates, no government angle This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: AI, Apple, Counterpoint Research, memory chips, Samsung, smartphones Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/smartphone-shipments-in-india-seen-down-20-in-q3-2026/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/smartphone-shipments-in-india-seen-down-20-in-q3-2026/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/