A survey conducted by TrendForce reveals that the global market outlook for 2026 is shrouded in uncertainty, primarily due to the lingering effects of inflation on the consumer market. In this context, the memory market has embarked on a robust upward trajectory, causing a significant uptick in overall machine costs. This, in turn, has compelled manufacturers to raise the prices of terminal products, thereby exerting a substantial impact on the consumer market.

Consequently, TrendForce has adjusted its production and shipment projections for global smartphones and notebooks in 2026, downgrading them from previous estimates of 0.1% and 1.7% annual growth, respectively, to anticipated annual declines of 2% and 2.4%. Should the imbalance between memory supply and demand escalate or if the surge in terminal selling prices surpasses expectations, there is a possibility that the production and shipment forecasts may undergo further downward revisions.