TheRegister's platform is a leading technology news website, offering insights into IT industry news, hardware reviews, and software updates. Through articles, analysis, and opinion pieces, TheRegister offers insights into cybersecurity threats, technology trends, and industry developments. Readers can stay updated with the latest news and analysis from the world of technology and IT business.

The Register

Global PC shipments are forecast to decline 12 percent in 2026 due to an AI-driven memory shortage that has pushed mainstream memory and storage prices up by $90–$165 since early 2025, with a further 60 percent rise expected in Q1. Chromebooks face the steepest drop at 27.6 percent year-on-year, as the education-focused, low-margin platform is most exposed to component price hikes and product discontinuations. Windows PCs face a 12.1 percent decline while macOS devices are relatively insulated at 4.8 percent, partly due to Apple's vertically integrated supply chain. The root cause is memory chip makers reallocating manufacturing capacity toward high-margin AI server components, squeezing supply for consumer and commercial hardware. NAND flash prices reportedly jumped 50 percent overnight, and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East add further uncertainty to the outlook.

Memory crunch threatens to kneecap Chromebook shipments