An investigation conducted by Reuters has unveiled that independent smartphone brands, including Fairphone and Jolla, are taking proactive measures by redesigning their product motherboards and instituting rigorous chip testing protocols. These steps are being taken in anticipation of a looming storage chip supply crisis, which is projected to persist until 2027. The CEO of memory behemoth SK Hynix has issued a stark warning, stating that 2027 will be the most challenging year for supply in the industry's history, with the demand-supply gap potentially stretching beyond 2030.

As a result, market research firm Counterpoint forecasts a significant decline in global smartphone shipments. This year, shipments are expected to plummet by 13.9% year-on-year, reaching 1.08 billion units—the largest annual decrease ever recorded. For niche manufacturers, the primary hurdle is no longer centered around pricing but rather securing reliable supplier quotas to ensure their survival in this challenging market landscape.