The global average smartphone DRAM and NAND capacity grew in Q1 2026, even as shipments fell. Vendors cut or froze memory in budget models, but premium devices continued to expand, pushing overall capacity higher.
According to Omdia, the average DRAM capacity reached 8.3GB, while NAND storage climbed to 279GB. This marks year-on-year growth of 6.1% for DRAM and 10.7% for NAND, driven entirely by high-end smartphones.
Rising camera resolutions and user-generated content are fueling demand for larger storage, with NAND growth outpacing RAM.
Budget smartphones under $400 saw declines in both DRAM and NAND compared to last year. Vendors froze specifications or removed higher-capacity variants to manage surging component costs.
At the same time, premium models received upgrades, as consumers in this segment are less sensitive to price increases.
The divide between affordable and premium devices is widening. Budget portfolios are shrinking, while premium phones continue to grow in performance and storage.
Also Read: Smartphone market splits: Low-end specs cut, premium upgrades continue
For buyers, this means fewer affordable options with large memory, and premium devices becoming the main driver of global averages. Analysts expect this to continue into 2027, with stabilization forecasted in 2028.
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