Chinese smartphone manufacturers have notified their partners of an increase in purchase prices, which could result in retail prices for devices rising by 15-30%, with smartphones bearing the new price tags going on sale in March-April 2026.
The most significant price increases are expected in the mid-range and high-end segments, as well as for models with increased built-in memory and storage capacity. Market participants cite the rising cost of components responsible for device memory, primarily RAM and ROM modules, as one of the reasons for the price increases.
The backdrop for the price increase is being formed on the global memory market: due to rapid growth in demand from AI infrastructure, DRAM and NAND manufacturers are reallocating capacity in favor of more marginal solutions for data centers, which is squeezing supply for consumer electronics and supporting the growth of memory prices.
