Despite forecasts of a decline in sales of ICT products, including smartphones and notebooks, by 2026 due to memory supply shortages, China is introducing new purchase subsidies to sustain consumer demand. The government aims to bolster the market with trade-in incentives following policy measures implemented in early 2025.

Apple, with its iPhone 17 series driving sales, has seen its monthly market share in China surge above 20%, while other major brands like Huawei, Vivo, Honor, Oppo, and Xiaomi have also delivered strong performances. However, inflation, high smartphone penetration, and extended replacement cycles contributed to a slight decline in overall smartphone shipments in China in 2025.

Asus announced on January 2, 2026, that it will not launch new smartphones in 2026, marking a strategic retreat from the mobile phone segment after more than two decades. Chairman Jonney Shih emphasized that Asus will continue to support existing smartphone users while reallocating resources toward longer-term strategic areas.

Due to memory shortages and price hikes, Chinese smartphone brands are expected to reduce their 2026 inventory by at least 10%, mainly affecting cost-sensitive mid-to-low-end models and related SoCs.

As generative AI (Gen AI) and sensing technologies mature, AI glasses are evolving from standalone wearables into a new generation of human-computer interaction interfaces. Featuring first-person perspective, scene recognition, and hands-free operation, these devices are seen as an ideal extension of smartphones with the potential to disrupt mainstream mobile hardware design.

Apple Inc., Qualcomm Inc., and MediaTek are all set to advance their smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) offerings to the 2nm process node in 2026. This coordinated move signals the three giants' determination to maintain technological leadership, even as the incremental benefits of process improvements come under scrutiny.

China's major smartphone manufacturers are revising their 2026 shipment forecasts downward amid tightening memory supply and surging prices, according to Jiemian News. Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Transsion have reportedly reduced their full-year smartphone shipment forecasts amid escalating upstream material costs that are increasingly pressuring mid- to low-end device segments, particularly those targeting overseas markets.

Leading smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) manufacturers will fully adopt the 2nm process node in 2026, a move expected to significantly increase production costs and reshape competitive dynamics beyond flagship devices.

Vivo has recently shown strong performance driven by robust sales of its X300 smartphone series. However, as the company looks to 2026, industry analysts warn that it will encounter substantial challenges from Huawei's resurgence in China, Xiaomi and Oppo's aggressive strategies, and the anticipated success of Apple's iPhone 17.

Memory price increases are significantly affecting consumer electronics, with smartphones and notebooks facing the greatest challenges, while TVs experience milder but still notable impacts. The surge in memory costs is not only driving up production expenses but also compressing profit margins for vendors and system integrators globally.