Memory Shortage Risks Smartphone Contraction

An acute global memory‑chip shortage—exacerbated by AI feature rollouts—will likely push up average smartphone prices, compress unit sales, and accelerate market consolidation among vendors who control chip supply or fabs. That combination raises the chance that device adoption of next‑generation AI features will slow or become unequal across geographies and price tiers. — If true, policymakers and regulators must treat semiconductor supply (memory) as a near‑term industrial and consumer‑welfare issue, not just a sectoral headline—affecting trade policy, competition, and digital equity.