China radar: memory crisis and smartphone market reshuffle

Memory shortage and price spikes; Apple/Samsung strengthen on a falling market, Huawei reclaims China leadership.

Consumer electronics face a crisis driven by memory shortage and rising prices. Vendors prepare for demand collapse by combining price hikes with “shrinkflation” — tools usually used separately.

On a shrinking global smartphone market, Apple and Samsung strengthen; on shrinking China demand, Huawei reclaims #1.

EU and US regulators push standardisation (repairability, universal connectors) — lower consumer cost, but BOM and aftersales channels change.

Country radar / Entry Readiness: • treat memory as a critical launch-calendar bottleneck; • in China, model competition with Huawei in mid/premium separately; • watch ESG/repairability rules as an EU entry barrier.

Source: Global Business Monitoring, issue 2/2026 (HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs). Adapted for Corporate APAC Desk / Country radar.