While record memory earnings powered Samsung Electronics to an all-time-high quarter — consolidated revenue of KRW171.5 trillion (US$118.4 billion) and operating profit of KRW89.5 trillion (US$61.8 billion) — the company's set businesses paid the price of the same supercycle, with the Device eXperience (DX) division swinging to an operating loss of KRW0.8 trillion (US$550 million) in 2Q26.
Major smartphone system-on-chip vendors are set to report earnings this week and share outlooks for the traditional second-half peak season, giving investors a fresh read on 2026 consumer demand. The results come as chip inflation remains elevated, supply stays tight, and brands weigh whether higher component costs will weaken buying power or limit inventory builds.
India expanded manufacturing incentives, entered private orbital launches, attracted new investment, and faced smartphone demand pressures amid rising component costs.
Realme has stopped producing smartphones for China and will launch no new models there, ending its domestic expansion as parent company Oppo consolidates overlapping brands and redirects resources overseas.
AI-driven memory demand is raising smartphone and PC costs, weakening mass-market sales and widening the gap between premium brands and manufacturers reliant on lower-priced devices.
Transsion Holdings, Africa's largest smartphone vendor, expects revenue and profit to rise sharply in the first half of 2026 after higher handset prices offset weaker unit sales and rising memory-chip costs.
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone is drawing fresh attention as supply-chain updates point to a possible debut at the company's September 2026 fall event, alongside the iPhone 18 series. According to supply-chain sources, Foxconn is now carrying out "final mass-production adjustments" for the device, though the actual launch timing remains undecided; Foxconn has not confirmed the reports.
Apple has entered mass production of its upcoming iPhone 18 lineup, with manufacturing partners ramping output earlier than usual as the company prepares for what could be one of its most strategically significant product launches in recent years.
