title: Smartphone market poised for 'sharpest decline on record' in 2026
author: u/DrNeurol
contenttype: redditpost
publication: r/technology
published: 2026-02-27T22:08:18+00:00
sourceurl: https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1rgkj19/smartphonemarketpoisedforsharpestdeclineon/
word_count: 459
Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/27/smartphone-market-poised-for-sharpest-decline-on-record-in-2026-according-to-reports-memory-chip-data-center-ai-samsung-apple-google-meta.html
Score: 1962 | Comments: 373 | Subreddit: r/technology
Top Comments
u/redyellowblue5031 (566 pts):
The chip shortage has already resulted in price surges for components like rapid access memory (RAM) cards, which are necessary for both consumer electronics and the large data center complexes
Rapid access memory, eh?
u/Fine_Sherbert3172 (1435 pts):
Probably the last "thing" I want is some locked down AI infested spy trap smart phone.
u/ttubehtnitahwtahw1 (209 pts):
Between 30% interest credit cards, 12% interest cars, 7% interest housing, some people just can't afford a fucking $1000 phone every single year.
u/BioEradication (154 pts):
Well they've kinda just been the exact same for years. No new features, no cool designs. Companies just added some half-assed AI chatbot into them and called it innovation.
u/Makabajones (37 pts):
Nobody got money
u/heekma (224 pts):
With smart phones we've reached a point of saturation and diminishing returns. I know some will still flock to the latest Apple or Samsung product, but the reality is I can walk into any WalMart, buy last years "hottest" phone for $300 or less, use a no-contract service for unlimited everything for $40 per month, and the phone is amazing, literally nothing more I could possibly need or want.
u/TheDukeofArgyll (54 pts):
Smart phones are basically cars now. Most consumers want a few features, reliability and affordability.
u/edeepee (20 pts):
Number must go up though so expect to see basic functionality locked behind a subscription soon.
u/rnilf (25 pts):
While this reallocation of chip supplies has affected device manufacturers for years, previous forecasts on the impacts of the AI-fueled demand continually underestimated the severity of the shortage
No one knows shit about fuck, even people who's specific job it is to forecast this shit don't.
u/SuperNovaSniper (24 pts):
I’m one step away from going back to an early 2000’s Nokia. They can keep the ai slop bloatware.
u/314R8 (18 pts):
Headline in 1 month: Samsung sales break records
Headline in 6 months: iPhone sales break records
Headline in 1 year: iPhone sales will be down in 2027
u/ozymandiez (10 pts):
Looking at the lack of innovation on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, minus the built in privacy screen, it's the same damn phone. Especially with the old battery tech and exact same look. I love the hardware on some of these new Chinese phones with 3 day battery life etc, but they have shit software in most cases. Hoping Apple pops some goodies in the next week that are enticing, but I'm pessimistic.
u/CornIssues (9 pts):
I got a smartphone ad on this post lol
u/eightdollarbeer (8 pts):
My iPhone 13 Mini is still going strong. If they release another Mini model, I’ll get it. My only real complaint is camera quality
u/TortyPapa (9 pts):
No new innovations since probably iPhone 10.
u/WindBest1440 (34 pts):
BACK TO FLIP PHONES! WITH NO AI AND NO SMART SCREENS! LETSGO!
u/ShadowReij (5 pts):
I don't need the latest camera and my understanding is that newer phones have but gotten rid the ability to expand your memory with sd cards.
Yeah, it doesn't surprise me this product finally plateaued.
u/fingerblast69 (5 pts):
Smartphones have basically reached a point where nothing is innovative anymore.
An iPhone 10 can do almost all the same shit an iPhone 17 can at the end of the day.
Call, text, camera, YouTube, FB, TikTok etc
Getting a new phone is exciting for like a week then you realize you’re just doing the same exact things on the new one that you were doing on the old phone then you feel a bit of buyers remorse.
Shiiiiit, my dad is still using an iPhone 8 Plus and it does everything he needs it to 😂
u/PF4ABG (16 pts):
I was due an upgrade recently from my Pixel 6a, so I just grabbed a refurbed iPhone 15.
USB-C port and no bullshit AI baked in. I'll be holding on to this thing for dear life.
u/Uncle_Hephaestus (14 pts):
does anyone else notice kids of phone addicted parents are rejecting phones?
u/UncleRichardson (6 pts):
I won't buy a new phone that doesn't have a SD card slot. I will continue to use my current phone until it literally detonates in my hand.
u/Pinku_Dva (5 pts):
Smartphone tech has leveled out and there really isn’t any noticeable differences between older and new models. Like “check out the iPhone 17! Its got forced AI compared to the 16 and functions the exact same way as the 11!”