"Due to a recent surge in memory chip prices, PC and mobile customers are adjusting purchase volumes," SK Hynix said in its earnings conference call. "Some customers are taking a more conservative ​approach to shipment plans or considering adjusting (memory chip) specification in their price-sensitive product ranges." Samsung, the world's second-largest smartphone maker, is also bracing for the impact of the chip shortage, with its mobile business profit slumping 10% in the fourth quarter. Cho Seong, a Samsung mobile business executive, warned of a "challenging year" in 2026, expecting flat global smartphone shipments this year and risks of downward adjustment due to memory chip prices. Investors will look for ⁠comments from its bigger smartphone rival Apple on how it aims to ​navigate a global memory chip crunch, as it reports quarterly results later on Thursday.