If you’ve been eyeing a new phone, you might want to buy sooner rather than later. A global memory chip shortage is pushing up costs, and many smartphone makers, including Samsung, one of the largest memory manufacturers, are reportedly planning price hikes across their lineup.
The issue comes down to high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the same ultra-fast RAM used in AI servers that power tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot. Demand has exploded thanks to the AI boom, but supply hasn’t caught up. Prices for memory chips are reportedly up by more than 50% this year, and it’s starting to ripple through to consumer hardware.
Samsung, for instance, is expected to raise prices on its upcoming phones and tablets to offset higher chip costs. Even though Samsung makes its own DRAM and NAND, it’s not immune to global supply pressure. The report doesn’t mention exact figures, but the bump will reportedly affect most product lines.
Some brands are already adjusting their prices. Xiaomi’s new Redmi K90 launched with a starting price of 2,599 CNY, a 100 CNY increase over its predecessor with the same 12GB + 256GB configuration.
What does that mean for buyers? Expect similar price hikes on upcoming models — roughly $50 to $100 for a flagship. And this memory crunch isn’t ending anytime soon. As SamMobile reports, the shortage could drag on into 2027 or even 2028, with AI demand showing no signs of slowing down. So, if you’re planning an upgrade, it might be smart to grab your next handset before prices start creeping up.
Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
(Source)
Comments