Manufacturers are juggling supply lines, accelerating product launches and in some cases redesigning their phones.
While executives haven't disclosed numbers, they've been frank in speaking to domestic media about supply chain difficulties.
Endangered species: The global chip shortage has many causes – and it's got a lot longer to run yet.
Xiaomi China President Lu Weibing has described the outlook as "not a shortage, but an extreme shortage," financial news site jrj.com reports.
Realme China chief Xu Qi said the shortfall wasn't confined to chips, but included "many materials" that could affect the entire procurement chain.
Zhao Ming, CEO of former Huawei handset brand Honor, said on state TV that it could not meet demand for any of its handset models.