- Tech giants compete for AI cloud and data center dominance
- Investors are growing impatient with the high costs associated with the massive AI infrastructure buildout planned by major tech companies.
- The chip industry, including Micron Technology, Intel, and Samsung Electronics, is facing pressure due to the high costs of the AI infrastructure buildout and investor expectations regarding the AI boom.
Samsung and Apple Gain Smartphone Market Share Amid Industry Contraction
- Reports
- 3
- Developments
- 1
- Repetition
- 67%
New informationRepeats or wire copies
What happened
Global smartphone shipments dropped 22% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2026, reaching 255.3 million units, according to IDC. Despite the contraction, Samsung Electronics increased its market share to 22.6%, shipping 57.8 million units. Apple Inc. also grew its share to 22.4%, shipping 57.3 million units. Memory costs were reported to be 350% higher in the third quarter compared to the previous year.
From econotimes.com
Why it matters
The market contraction and rising component costs are driving shifts in supplier focus. Counterpoint Research estimated that smartphone retail prices had risen 20% in 2026 as manufacturers passed higher component costs to consumers. This trend is linked to tighter consumer-electronics supply and higher DRAM and NAND prices.
The chip industry, including Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology, is facing pressure due to the high costs associated with the massive AI infrastructure buildout.
From econotimes.com
Who's involved
- Samsung ElectronicsGained market share in the shrinking global smartphone market.
- Apple Inc.Gained market share in the shrinking global smartphone market.
- XiaomiExperienced a sharp decline in shipments during the quarter.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- XiaomiSpeculative
Might face reduced revenue due to the sharp decline in shipments.
- Samsung ElectronicsSpeculative
Could see its Q3 performance impacted by market contraction and rising memory costs.
- Apple Inc.Speculative
May benefit from increased market share despite the overall market decline.
Keep exploring
Part of
The chip industry, including Micron Technology, Intel, and Samsung Electronics, is facing pressure due to the high costs of the AI infrastructure buildout and investor expectations regarding the AI boom.Also in this story
- A dispute echoes a showdown between Micron Technology and Samsung Electronics regarding their operations in Taiwan.
- Movellus, headquartered in Santa Clara, announced a collaboration with Samsung Electronics on the Aeonic platform for foundry services.
- Samsung Electronics demonstrates successful demand amid sector volatility and provides earnings estimates for market comparison.
- Micron and Intel face market downturn due to AI spending questions, prompting Morgan Stanley to advise on investment opportunities.
Within Tech giants compete for AI cloud and data center dominance
The entities involved
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Samsung Electronics
South Korean multinational electronics corporation
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Apple Inc.
American multinational technology company based in Cupertino, California
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Xiaomi
Chinese electronics company
Related events
- The industry is facing rising costs due to the AI infrastructure build-out, with dominant suppliers of high-bandwidth memory being key players.
- Driven by AI data center demand, market value and memory chip prices are rising, leading to market cap milestones for companies in South Korea.
- Apple and Sony are both facing extreme price jumps in memory components due to unprecedented AI demand.
- Major AI companies are facing market pressures, including pricing hikes due to inflation, fears of an AI bubble, and lawsuits over copyrighted music used in training data.
- Intense competition is driving market dynamics and DRAM sales among major semiconductor players like Micron, Intel, and Samsung.