Samsung warned in April that the memory shortage could get worse in 2027. Three months later, the company’s outlook has become even more troubling for anyone planning to buy a new phone, laptop, gaming PC, or another device packed with memory and storage.
During its Q2 2026 earnings call, Samsung said demand is still running far ahead of supply and that orders it cannot fulfil this year are likely to spill into the next. The company now expects the shortage to persist through 2028, extending its earlier warning by another year.
The shortage may peak next year
“Based on the incoming requests that we have been seeing from the customers, unmet demand from this year is likely to carry over into the following year, contributing to tighter supply conditions going forward. The supply constraints are expected to become even more severe in 2027 than 2026, reinforcing our view that the supply shortage will persist through 2028. Beyond 2029, it is hard to say because of more limited visibility,” Jaejune Kim, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics’ memory business, said during the call.
Demand from AI data centers remains a major source of pressure. Samsung says customers are requesting multi-year supply agreements, and it plans to place roughly 60% to 70% of its memory capacity under long-term contracts. Higher chip prices delivered record profits for Samsung’s semiconductor business, but those same costs helped push its mobile division to a 700 billion won quarterly loss. The company has also warned that rising memory prices are already hurting its mobile business as it prepares to launch the Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy Tab S12 later this year.
The problem goes far beyond Samsung
Apple has already raised MacBook and iPad prices after saying it could no longer absorb rising memory and storage costs. The company is also exploring chips from Chinese suppliers CXMT and YMTC, although the move has drawn political pushback in the US.
Samsung has not confirmed broader price increases for its upcoming devices, but the Galaxy Z Flip 8 already hints at what buyers may be in for. The new foldable arrived with a largely unchanged spec sheet and a $100 higher starting price. If memory supply tightens further in 2027 and remains constrained through 2028, buyers could face pricier upgrades, fewer discounts, and less generous memory and storage options.
