Warsaw, February 2, 2026, 08:59 (CET)
- A leading Android-focused outlet says annual phone launches are delivering smaller gains and could slow.
- Memory-chip costs are rising and supply is tight, adding pressure on handset pricing and demand.
- Longer software support from major brands is making it easier for buyers to keep phones for years.
Smartphones do not need yearly sequels anymore, tech site 9to5Google wrote on Sunday, arguing that gains have narrowed to small upgrades even as brands keep shipping fresh models on a fixed calendar. The outlet pointed to what it called a “tick-tock” rhythm in Google’s Pixel line and years of familiar design in Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S devices as signs the product has hit diminishing returns. (9to5Google)
The timing is not just about fatigue. Memory, the chips that help phones store data and keep apps running, has become harder to source as chipmakers divert capacity toward higher-margin parts for AI servers, including high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. On an earnings call, Tim Cook said Apple continued to see memory prices “increasing significantly,” while SK Hynix said PC and mobile customers were adjusting purchase volumes; research firms now expect global smartphone sales to fall at least 2% in 2026, the report said. (Reuters)
That matters because the annual launch cycle is one of the industry’s few reliable levers. New models drive carrier promotions, fill retail shelves, and give marketing teams a reason to shout, even when the “new” part is mostly a better camera sensor, a faster processor, or a slightly brighter screen.
Longer software support is also changing the maths for buyers. Google says Pixel 8 and later phones will get seven years of operating-system and security updates, while Samsung Electronics has promised seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates for the Galaxy S24 series. OS means the operating system — the core software that runs the phone — while security updates patch newly found flaws. (Pomoc Google)
For consumers, that kind of support makes it easier to skip a year, or two, without being stuck on old software. For manufacturers, it blurs the old pitch that a fresh handset is the cleanest way to stay current.
The 9to5Google column argued a slower cadence could make launches feel bigger again, with fewer “spec-bump” refreshes and more room for real redesigns. It also flagged the knock-on effect: less churn means fewer devices pushed into drawers — or landfill — just because the calendar turned.
Big brands are not built for patience. Apple, Samsung and Google use annual releases to protect market share and pull customers into services and accessories. A two-year rhythm risks letting rivals steal headlines, especially in categories where a single feature shift can swing buyers.
But slowing down comes with its own trap. If a competitor lands a breakout feature — or if on-device AI, meaning tools that run on the phone rather than in the cloud, starts to demand more memory and faster chips — upgrade pressure could snap back quickly. Phones also still wear out; batteries fade, ports fail, screens crack.
For now, the yearly sequel machine is still humming. But cost pressure, tighter components and longer software lifespans are piling up, and 2026 is shaping up as a real test of whether the smartphone industry can live without an annual reset.
