The term 'Liangliang,' which translates to 'cooling down' or 'fading away,' has become a popular internet slang among netizens, humorously suggesting that something is 'over,' 'hopeless,' or 'doomed.' It can range in meaning from 'ruined' to simply 'unlucky,' with varying degrees of severity.

For all domestic mobile phone brands, excluding Huawei, in 2026, the term 'Liangliang' might aptly characterize their predicament. Of course, this doesn't imply that they are utterly doomed—the situation is not that dire—but describing them as 'unlucky' would be fitting.

From a global perspective on mobile phone sales, among the top five brands, besides Apple and Samsung, the remaining three—Xiaomi, OPPO, and VIVO—have been witnessing a continuous decline for three consecutive quarters.

Over the first nine months of the year, Samsung's sales witnessed a 1.8% increase, with its market share rising by 22.2%. Apple's sales grew by 4%, and its market share surged by 21.2%. These two brands have experienced substantial growth in both sales and market share.

However, for domestic mobile phone brands, Xiaomi's sales dropped by 25% year-on-year, OPPO's by 21.2%, and VIVO's by 20.1%. The declines in market share were even more pronounced, especially considering the overall sales have been on a downward trend this year.

In the domestic market, apart from Huawei and Apple, which have seen growth, the other four major brands—Xiaomi, OPPO, VIVO, and Honor—have also experienced declines. The following data compares the first nine months of this year with the same period last year.

It is evident that Huawei's sales increased by 15%, Apple's by 21%, while all other brands saw declines exceeding 10%, particularly Xiaomi, which dropped by 26%.

What is the reason behind this trend? The answer lies in memory chips.

Over the past year or so, the average price of memory chips has surged by 40-50%, leading to significant alterations in the cost structure of mobile phones. The escalating cost of memory chips has left minimal room for low-priced mobile phones to thrive.

Consequently, manufacturers like Xiaomi have even directly reduced shipments of some low-end models and increased prices for others.

It can be said that the era of relying on low-end models to drive overall sales has come to an end. Now, the competition hinges on supply chain management capabilities, brand image, and the ability to maintain high premiums and persuade consumers to purchase even at elevated prices.

Apart from Apple, Samsung, and Huawei on a global scale, it appears that other domestic mobile phone brands are unable to achieve this. Therefore, only Samsung, Apple, and Huawei have managed to achieve growth in such a challenging environment, while other domestic brands that previously relied on low-priced models to bolster sales are now facing difficulties.

The situation may become even more severe in the future. It remains uncertain how each brand will fare. If things do not improve, the days ahead could be even more 'Liangliang.'