Multiple smartphone and tablet brands could be raising their prices starting today, according to tipster Abhishek Yadav. The reported reason is rising component costs and memory supply issues.

Samsung tablets are expected to see price increases from March 1. Abhishek Yadav claims the hike is confirmed, but Samsung hasn’t made an official announcement yet. Specific models and new prices haven’t been revealed.

Vivo and iQOO raised prices on several smartphones in India. Here’s what changed:

iQOO Z10 and Vivo T4 5G went up by ₹2,000. The base model increased from ₹22,999 to ₹24,999. Higher variants also increased by ₹2,000. The 8GB/256GB version moved from ₹24,999 to ₹26,999, and the 12GB/256GB model went from ₹26,999 to ₹28,999.

iQOO Z10R and Vivo T4R 5G saw the same ₹2,000 increase. The starting price shifted from ₹20,999 to ₹22,999. The 8GB/256GB variant changed from ₹22,999 to ₹24,999, while the 12GB/256GB model moved from ₹24,999 to ₹26,999.

iQOO Z10x and Vivo T4x 5G got different increases depending on storage. The base model went up ₹1,500, from ₹15,499 to ₹16,999. The 8GB/128GB version increased ₹2,500, from ₹16,499 to ₹18,999. The 8GB/256GB model also jumped ₹2,500, from ₹18,499 to ₹20,999.

The tipster also mentions that other brands like OnePlus and Realme could announce price increases soon. The broader reason cited is rising memory component costs affecting the entire industry.

Smartphone prices have been climbing gradually over recent months. Today’s increases mean you’ll now pay ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 more, depending on which phone you buy. Some models cost up to ₹3,000 extra compared to yesterday.

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(Source)

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If you are planning to buy a Vivo or iQOO mid-range smartphone in India, prices may increase soon. According to tipster @yabhishekhd, six devices across both brands are expected to receive price hikes of up to ₹2,500. The revised prices are said to take effect from March 1.

Starting with Vivo, the Vivo T4x could see increases across all storage variants. The 6GB + 128GB model may go from ₹15,499 to ₹16,999. The 8GB + 128GB variant is expected to rise from ₹16,499 to ₹18,999. The 8GB + 256GB version could move from ₹18,499 to ₹20,999.

The Vivo T4R is also tipped for higher pricing. The 8GB + 128GB variant may increase from ₹20,999 to ₹22,999. The 8GB + 256GB model could go from ₹22,999 to ₹24,999. The 12GB + 256GB version is expected to rise from ₹24,999 to ₹26,999.

The Vivo T4 may follow the same pattern. The 8GB + 128GB variant could increase from ₹22,999 to ₹24,999. The 8GB + 256GB model may move from ₹24,999 to ₹26,999. The 12GB + 256GB version is expected to go from ₹26,999 to ₹28,999.

On the iQOO side, the iQOO Z10x may see the 6GB + 128GB variant increase from ₹14,999 to ₹16,999. The 8GB + 128GB model could rise from ₹16,499 to ₹18,999. The 8GB + 256GB version is expected to move from ₹17,999 to ₹20,499.

The iQOO Z10R is also included in the reported revision. The 8GB + 128GB variant may increase from ₹20,999 to ₹22,999. The 8GB + 256GB model could go from ₹22,999 to ₹24,999. The 12GB + 256GB version is expected to rise from ₹24,999 to ₹26,999.

Finally, the iQOO Z10 may see prices increase to ₹24,999, ₹26,999, and ₹28,999 for the 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB, and 12GB + 256GB variants, respectively, up from ₹22,999, ₹24,999, and ₹26,999.

The companies have not officially confirmed these changes yet. If the leak is accurate, buyers may want to purchase before March 1 to avoid the higher prices.

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Netflix is by far the most popular online streaming platform out there. But despite its global dominance, the video streaming service has raised the pricing once again. The service is getting more expensive for both the standard and premium users. So here are the new pricing details.

Netflix Pricing Hiked in 4 Countries

Netflix’s user base is already complaining about the constant price hikes, but it is still getting more expensive for users in 4 markets. In the brand’s latest earning report earlier this week, Netflix revealed the subscription cost for its service in the US, Portugal, Argentina, and Canada. According to Netflix spokesperson MoMo Zhou, the monthly standard price for the plan with ads is now 7.99 US Dollars, up from 6.99 US Dollars.

On the other hand, the standard ad-free tier is increasing from 15.49 US Dollars to 17.99 US Dollars. The premium Netflix plan is getting a 2 US Dollar price bump, bringing it up to 24.99 US Dollars a month. As per the official statement, “As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix.”

The price rise at the start of 2025 kicks off, which also arrives soon after the company announced that its streaming service hit 302 million subscribers globally. In just the last quarter of last year, the streaming platform managed to bring in a whopping 19 million new subscribers. So despite the brand claiming it finished 2024 on a high, the Netflix service is still getting more expensive.

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Disney+ is bringing some changes to its subscription service. The platform is planning to raise its prices while also fighting against the notorious account sharing that is rampant across any subscription-based model.

Disney+ follows Netflix’s footsteps

During its recent earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the ad-free model of the Disney+ premium tier will see a price hike. Starting October 12, Disney+ will now cost 13.99 US Dollars over the current 10.99 US Dollars. Similarly, even Hulu is bumping the price of the ad-free tier to 17.99 US Dollars per month. But it’s not all bad news, the company is offering customers who are willing to bundle services.

A new Duo Premium subscription will roll out soon, which brings both ad-free tiers of Disney+ and Hulu for 19.99 US Dollars. Furthermore, it was also announced that the ad-enabled model will go live in Europe and Canada for just 8 US Dollars. Disney seems to be taking a page from Netflix’s playbook by cracking down on account sharing.

The company is working to fix this issue soon and is “actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family.” As per the announcement, these changes will likely go live sometime next year.

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The Xbox Series S was first introduced by Microsoft in the year 2020. The cost of the devices in India was made public a few days after the global announcement. At the time of its debut, the company set the pricing of the gaming console in the nation at INR 34,999. Since then, there have been two price hikes for the product on the market. The last price hike raises the cost from INR 34,999 to INR 37,999 in August 2022. The price of the gadget has now increased for the third time in the nation. You did hear correctly. In India, the cost of the Xbox Series S has risen once more.

Although Microsoft has not provided a clear explanation for its actions, it is likely due to the declining value of the Indian rupee relative to the US dollar. Recently, the INR fell to an all-time low value in contrast to the US dollar. A game analyst named Rishi Alwani claims that the cost of the Microsoft Xbox Series S has increased in India. The item will now set you back a staggering INR 39,999 in the country. Over the official launch price, the most recent pricing has seen an increase of more than 5%.

The console may presently be purchased in the country from Amazon, Flipkart, and e2z e-commerce platforms. After discounts and coupons, Amazon is currently offering the gaming console for INR 31,799, which is at a cheaper price point. Unexpectedly, the e2z store is selling the console for INR 24,999, which is almost INR 15,000 less than the most recent price hike. Consequently, if you want to purchase one. You should head out straight away and reserve a unit for yourself.

We do not know when these rates will be applicable. As the hiked prices have been announced, the price of devices may get updated in a few days or possibly in a couple of hours itself. Consequently, if the gadget is affordable when you read the articles. You may recommend it to someone who desired to buy it before the price increases. That was it regarding the Xbox Series X pricing increase. What do you think about this? Please share with us in the comments area below.

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Apple had recently made the move of raising the price of its new iPhones in various markets, except the US and China. So now, customers buying the new iPhone 14 series in the US could still get the new models, while customers in other regions had to shell out a bit more money.

For those unaware, the iPhone 14 Pro starts from 999 US Dollars, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts from 1,099 US Dollars. This price tag has basically remained unchanged from the last gen iPhone 13 Pro series, which had an identical cost that was also reflected in the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro models as well. But unfortunately, this consistency has finally come to an end. The Cupertino based giant is rumored to raise the pricing for its next gen iPhone 15 series, with global economics playing an integral role in the price hike across the globe.

According to a CNBC report, the US Dollar is quite strong among the global currencies. So, customers in the US do not have to worry about the price hike. Although, a stronger dollar value also implies that the foreign currency being converted givers lower dollar value to Apple. Thus, the brand hiked iPhone pricing to keep its revenue more consistent. An example of this is the Pound Sterling, which was valued higher than the dollar a year ago is now weaker.

As per Apple CFO Luca Maestri, “Essentially every currency around the world has weakened against the dollar. The strong dollar makes it difficult in a number of areas. Obviously, our pricing in emerging markets makes it difficult, and the translation of that revenue back into dollars is affected.” The CFO further added that “In some cases, for example, customers in international markets had to … they saw some price increases when we launched the new products, which is not something that, for example, U.S. customers have seen. And that’s unfortunately the situation that we’re in right now with the strong dollar.”

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Sony has just recently announced that it will be increasing the pricing for its PlayStation 5 game console. These price hikes is not worldwide and will only affect select markets. So let’s have a look.

The Japanese tech giant officially announced the new price changes for various regions across the globe. So now, the PS5 will be more expensive in Europe, the UK, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, and Mexico as well. The brand stated that the main reason for the price hike is due to high global inflation rates and poor currency trends that have been affecting many industries as well as the consumers. Other regions like India have fortunately not seen a rise in price. Interestingly, the PS5 becoming more costlier arrives after Microsoft had also raised the prices for its Xbox Series X and S series of consoles, along with their controller and headset prices as well.

According to Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan “We’re seeing high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends, impacting consumers and creating pressure on many industries. Based on these challenging economic conditions, SIE has made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price (RRP) of PlayStation 5 in select markets across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), as well as Canada. There will be no price increase in the United States.”

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The Nothing Phone (1) was just recently announced for the global market. It was a highly anticipated launch and it had even released in the Indian market as well. However, just weeks after its launch, the company has hiked its price tag in India. So let’s have a look at why the company made this move.

According to Manu Sharma, Vice President and General Manager of Nothing India, shared the details regarding this price hike. In a tweet, the senior official stated that “Thank you for the love shown towards Phone (1), with fluctuating currency exchange rates & rising component costs, we had to change prices.” So now, the Phone (1), which launched for 32,999 INR, will now be available for a price tag of 33,999 INR.

In other words, this marks a cost hike of 1,000 INR over the original price tag for the base 8GB + 128GB variant. Similarly, the 8GB + 256GB model and the top end 12GB + 256GB variant have also seen a price hike of 1,000 INR in the Indian market. As per the executive, the price rise was caused by the fluctuating currency exchange rates as well as the rising cost of the components.

Thank you for the love shown towards Phone (1)!

With fluctuating currency exchange rates & rising component costs, we had to change prices.

Starting today, Phone (1) will be available @flipkart for 8GB/128GB (INR 33,999), 8GB/256GB (INR 36,999), and 12GB/256GB (INR 39,999).

— Manu Sharma (@buildingnothing) August 18, 2022

Talking about the smartphone itself, it sports a 6.55 inch OLED display that has a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC that will be paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. On the back, the smartphone features a 50 megapixel dual camera setup, while the front houses a 16 megapixel selfie shooter. A 4,500mAh battery pack powers the device, which also supports 33W fast charging.

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A new report from an analyst has suggested that the upcoming Apple iPhone 14 series might be the most expensive iPhone lineup ever. Apparently, the company’s iPhone 14 will be over 100 US Dollars more expensive than the iPhone 13 series.

Recently, we reported on the Cupertino based giant’s latest iPhones will see a price hike over its predecessor. And now, it seems like we have a better idea as to how high the prices may rise. For those unaware, the iPhone 13 lineup started from 699 US Dollars for the 5.4 inch iPhone 13 mini. Meanwhile, the base iPhone 13 started from 799 US Dollars. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max had a price tag of 999 and 1,099 US Dollars.

Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities told The Sun that “a $100 price increase is coming for the iPhone 14.” If this information is true, there are likely many reasons for the possible price hike. This includes rising raw materials, supply constraints, and other economic reasons as well. Since the iPhone mini is being discontinued for the iPhone 14 Max, the iPhone 14 series may start from 899 US Dollars for the base iPhone 14.

As of right now, it is unclear if this price hike is confirmed or not, and it’s still possible that Apple may have different plans. CCS Insight’s Ben Wood claims that the increasing production and component costs may likely be the reason behind a rise in the price tag but the brand might not hike costs by such a margin due to the cost of living. The news is still unconfirmed so take this report with a pinch of salt and stay tuned for more updates.

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Apple is gearing up to launch its highly anticipated iPhone 14 series in just a couple of months. The new 2022 iPhones have been spotted in various rumors and leaks, and now, the latest report hints that its pricing might see one of the more ‘drastic’ changes.

According to a Bloomberg report, one of the material suppliers for Apple’s primary chip maker (TSMC) has warned that there might be major rise in price for the iPhones. The supplier stated that it has already had to implement various hikes in materials cost. This warning is from Japanese chemical supplier Showa Denko K.K, which added that it expects the price to rise even further “as it grapples with a barrage of economic challenges confronting the $550 billion semiconductor industry.”

The report adds that there have already been at least around a dozen of hikes already within this year. The primary reason for this was the impacts of the coronavirus on the supply chain. Apart from this, the Russian invasion into the Ukraine and even the fall of the yen played a part in these price hikes. In an interview, the CFO of the supplier warned that the problem might not improve until next year.

Chief Financial Officer Hideki Somemiya stated that the company “has been forced to drastically increase the cost it passes on to customers.” Now, the supplier is asking for “twice the amount” it had previously estimated. Although, it remains to be seen how these raw materials cost rise impacts the overall pricing for the upcoming iPhone 14 series.

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Uber has just hiked the prices of its cab hailing service in India’s capital city, Delhi. The city has seen a rise in the prices of fuel, which has prompted the company to also raise the price of its cab services in the region.

For those unaware, the news arrives after strong protest from drivers that use the app for taxi services. In the past few days, the price of fuel rose suddenly, which cut into the drivers’ profits. This further led to the drivers protesting last week, which was even expected to continue this week as well. But to help cushion the blow, Uber has stepped in by raising prices to help alleviate some of the drivers’ grievances.

So now, the cab prices in Delhi have been hiked by 12 percent in the Delhi and NCR region. Furthermore, the popular cab hailing service has also stated that they will continue to track the price of fuel and take further steps based on future developments in this matter. Notably, the firm had recently also hiked the prices of cab fares in Mumbai by 15 percent.

In a statement, Nitish Bhushan, Head of Central Operations, Uber India said that “We listen to feedback from drivers and understand that the current rise in fuel prices is causing concern. To help cushion drivers from the impact of the spike in fuel prices, Uber has raised trip fares in Delhi NCR by 12%. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to track fuel price movements and will take further steps as needed.”

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BYD had announced last week that it will be increasing the cost of its electric vehicles due to the rise in cost of raw materials for production paired with lower subsidies.

The Chinese automobile maker will hike price for its Dynasty and Ocean series of new energy vehicles (NEV) models, which are now up to 7,000 Yuan (roughly 1,105 US Dollars) more expensive than before. In a statement, the company stated that the changes in pricing arrives due to higher cost of raw materials and the declining subsidies for new energy vehicles. Notably, the new price adjustments will come into effect starting from the 1st of February 2021.

Furthermore, the customers that are paying a deposit when signing the contracts will be exempted from this adjustment. The news of the price hike arrives soon after other Chinese carmakers like Xpeng Motors also raising the cost of its EV models in China by around 4,000 to 6,000 Yuan (roughly 632 to 947 US Dollars) as well. Similarly, other NEV makers like GAC Aion and NETA Automobile have also raised the price tags of their offerings this year.

For those unaware, China’s Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Development and Reform Commission had jointly shared a new notice on 31st December 2021. In this notice, the plans to reduce the subsidy standards were detailed for NEVs in 2022 by 30 percent over 2021.

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Ather Energy has just raised the prices of its 450 series of electric scooters in India. This includes the 450X and 450 Plus models, which have seen an average price hike of 5,500 INR (roughly 75 US Dollars).

Keep in mind that the exact amount may vary based on the state you live in since EV subsidies maybe different between states. According to the EV maker, the rise in price is due to the hike in input costs. Notably, the surge in price was handled by charging buyers an amount of around 5,500 INR for the Ather Dot portable charger, which was previously available for just 1 INR.

So now, the new price of the Ather 450 Plus is around 109,000 INR (roughly 1,470 US Dollars) while the higher end 129,000 INR (roughly 1,740 US Dollars) after subsidies in big cities like Mumbai. On the other hand, in cities like Bangalore, the prices of the top end 450X variant electric scooter is around 151,000 INR (roughly 2,040 US Dollars). Despite the prices of the electric scooter rising, there are no changes with the scooters in regards to design or hardware.

As of right now, the 450 Plus costs around 14,600 INR (roughly 200 US Dollars) more than the Ola S1 in Mumbai, while the 450X electric scooter is around 3,600 INR (roughly 50 US Dollars) more expensive than the Ola S1 Pro. For those unaware, the 450 series of electric scooters are manufactured in India, which has recently started ramping up production at its plant in South India.

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Tesla has raised the pricing for certain electric vehicle models in China. The company’s official Chinese website has revealed that the pricing for the rear wheel drive variant of the Model 3 and Model Y has been increased.

Looking at the reformed prices, the Model 3’s rear wheel drive variant now costs around 265,652 Yuan (roughly 42,000 US Dollars), which marks an increase of 10,000 Yuan (roughly 1,575 US Dollars) over the original price. On the other hand, the price of the rear wheel drive version of the Model Y has also been raised to 301,840 Yuan (roughly 47,560 US Dollars), which is around 21,000 Yuan (roughly 3,320 US Dollars) higher than the previous price tag.

For those unaware, the rear wheel drive versions are also the base variant of both EV models. Talking about the Model Y, it offers a 545 kilometer range on a single full charge and has a top speed of 217 km/h. It can even accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds. On the other hand, the American automobile giant’s Model 3 offers a top speed of 225 km/h, with a maximum range of 556 kilometers on a single full charge. It can go 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds.

Unfortunately, the official reason for the price hike is unknown as of right now. Although, it might be due to the ongoing chip shortage issue that has impacted various industries across the globe, including automobiles. Rising chip costs due to the growing demand for semiconductors have caused chipmakers to raise the prices as well. Other materials and parts shortages or components supply constraints might also be a factor. However, this is just speculation at the moment so take it with a pinch of salt.

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While MediaTek chipsets have seen a rise in demand, supply constraints and the global semiconductor shortage have made them short in supply. And Now, the company is following other chipmakers and is apparently raising the prices of its processors as well.

According to a UDN report, the Taiwanese chipmaking giant is raising the prices for some of its smartphone chips that are in high demand this month. The bump in prices are as high as 15 percent, so the company is also expected to see stronger performance and higher profits due to the robust momentum. Unfortunately, the company did not offer any comments on its chip price hike, although, sources close to the matter confirmed that MediaTek has raise the prices of smartphone processors.

The sources stated that 4G LTE enabled chips saw a sharp price rise since the primary focus of chipmaker’s is usually the 5G smartphone market. 4G chips now hold a smaller stake in the market but demand for 4G smartphones is still high in markets such as India where 5G networking is still not commercialized. Furthermore, the order of 4G handsets have caused the supply of LTE enabled phones to surpass the demand. Similarly, the brand’s rival, Qualcomm, is also expected to raise the prices of its chipsets, although, this has yet to be confirmed.

The rise in prices of MediaTek processors is as high as 15 percent for 4G chips and 5 percent for 5G enabled chips. The primary reason for the hike in price is due to the increase cost of production from TSMC’s foundry. Previously, the company had also raised the prices of its WiFi chips by about 20 percent as well while we had also reported on other foundries like Samsung raising their prices.

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Samsung has just been hit with a sizeable 39 million Euros (roughly 45 million US Dollars) fine from a Dutch regulator. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has found the company guilty of influencing the prices for its TVs.

According to NLTimes, the South Korean tech giant influenced the prices that various stores charger for its televisions between the years 2013 and 2018. In other words, this lead to customers paying more for their Samsung branded TVs. The report added that the brand had apparently looked up every online offering of its TVs and put online stores under pressure to inflate the prices, which is illegal as per the ACM.

The ACM investigated the matter and found the unauthorized practices from the known consumer electronics maker across even retailers that sold Samsung branded televisions online. Samsung reportedly sent messages to sellers to raise the prices if the company found that the prices were lower than what it wanted. While employees claimed that it was presented as an advice, the market authority found that it was not a non committal suggestion.

Furthermore, the company even intervened when retailers complained about competitors selling its TVs for lower prices. The ACM found these practices from WhatsApp and emails that Samsung had addressed to the various retailers. ACM CEO Martijn Snoep stated “Samsung’s behavior distorted competition at the retail level and led to higher prices for consumers.” As of right now, the company is against the decision by the ACM and is prepared to take legal steps against the fine since it complied with all competition rules.

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The prices for semiconductors is expected to rise well into next year, while major chip manufacturers like TSMC are expected to hike chip rates as well. This arrives amid a global shortage of semiconductors that has affected various industries across the globe, including brands like Apple.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the prices of semiconductors have been on the rise since the last quarter of last year. The rates began rising with a supply shortage, following which, TSMC announced its biggest price hike in a decade. As of right now, the world’s largest contract chipmaker account for over half the global foundry market and has built chips for major tech giants like NVIDIA, Apple, Qualcomm, and others. The company is also known for its advanced chip technology and generally charges a fees 20 percent higher than its rivals.

Although, due to the shortage in semiconductors and TSMC running on full capacity, smaller foundries have also ramped up their own pricing due to high demands. These higher prices are due to a number of factors like higher material, logistics costs, and even the race between brands to acquire a steady chip supply. Notably, the Taiwanese chipmaker was slower than most other foundries in raising its prices, but that can also be attributed to the premium that it already charges.

A major implication of the rising price of semiconductors is the hike in cost of consumer electronic products like smartphones. Apple is a major client for TSMC, so rising prices might affect its iPhones and iPads as well. But, the Cupertino based brand could offset some of these costs due to its relation with the chipmaker as a major client.

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Starting from today (30th August 2021), Realme has officially raised the prices for a dozen smartphone models in India. The price hike arrives as other brands also raise their offerings’ price tags in the region due to component shortages.

The news was first shared by known tipster Abhishek Yadav on Twitter. In the Twitter thread, he shared the new prices of a number of smartphones along with the total rise in cost as well. The list of smartphones includes multiple C series of smartphones along with the Realme 8 lineup. Taking a look at the C series pricing first:

• C11 – 2021 model with 2+32GB now costs ₹7,299 ($100), price hike of ₹300
  
• C11 – 2021 model with 4+64GB now costs ₹8,799 ($120), price hike of ₹300
• C21 – 3+32GB now costs ₹8,999 ($123), price hike of ₹500
• C21 – 4+64GB now costs ₹9,999 ($136), price hike of ₹500
• C25s – G85 4+64GB now costs ₹10,999 ($150), price hike of ₹500
• C25s – G85 4+128GB now costs ₹11999 ($164), price hike of ₹500

Arriving at the Realme 8 lineup, the 4G variant with 6+128GB is now priced at ₹16,999 ($232), marking increase of ₹1,000. This hike in price is consistent with the entire lineup as the 4G variant with 8+128GB also now costs ₹17,999 ($245). Its 5G variant with 4+64GB now goes for ₹15,499 ($211) . Similarly, the 5G variant with 4+128GB and 8+128GB models now cost ₹16,499 ($225) and ₹18,499 ($252) respectively as well.

Notably, this isn’t the first time the brand hiked the pricing in India. For those unaware, the rise of prices arrives due to a shortage of components or rise in costs of certain parts. Other brands like Redmi, Micromax, Samsung and others, have also raised the prices of their smartphone offerings due to this ongoing issue.

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Samsung Electronics is expected to raise its foundry prices similar to the recent price hike from TSMC. The news arrives as the recent surge in demand has overtaken the supply and massive investment that is required to keep up with the increased production.

According to a KedGlobal report, major foundries are hiking prices due to the sizeable demand that has hurt profitability since a large sum of investment is needed to expand existing production capacities. So recently, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) had decided to ramp up prices on its products by about 20 percent, as per local reports. Similarly, the third largest foundry, UMC (United Microelectronics Corp) is also planning on hiking its prices in September, November, and even early next year as well.

The Taiwanese chipmakers have already increase the prices by about 10 to 20 percent in the first half of this year. And now, it seems that the South Korean tech giant is also planning on following suit. The world’s largest memory chipmaker’s vice president Suh Byung-hoon added that “We will rationalize foundry prices,” after it announced its earnings in the second quarter of this year. Furthermore, the brand also expected revenue from its foundry business unit to rise more than 20 percent this year.

Seoul National University’s professor Jaeyong Song expects that the price hike will arrive in the fourth quarter of this year. Song further added that “Samsung’s production line is so full that it outsourced production of some application processors for Galaxy.” The industry is expecting these prices to remain high until major foundries complete their planned capacity expansions that began due to the massive demand.

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Huawei had just launched the P50 series earlier this week. But despite being a flagship grade lineup, the new smartphones only arrives in a 4G version. This, in turn, has led to the prices of the brand’s 5G smartphone models to rise in the second hand used market in China.

The price hike for used 5G Huawei smartphone models was observed by the Zhuanzhuan Group, which is a popular online market place that deals lets users buy and sell second hand used products in China. Generally, a smartphone’s value in the market usually always falls after its initial launch date. But now, the opposite seems to be occurring with the price of older 5G enabled smartphones from the Chinese tech giant rising.

The report from the used online market place stated that the prices of these 5G models are about 3 to 9 percent higher than in early June 2021. Notably, the Mate 40 Pro saw the highest increase in second hand market pricing. The price of a second hand Mate 40 Pro at the end of July 2021 is about 6,363 Yuan (roughly 985 USD), which is about 323 Yuan (roughly 50 USD) higher than back in June and marks about a 5.43 percent price hike overall.

Similarly, the Mate 30 Pro 5G also saw a price rise during this same period, with a hike of 293 Yuan (roughly 45 USD) or about a 7.71 percent rise in price over a month prior. As of right now, the price of this model is around 4,093 Yuan (roughly 633 USD) on the Chinese used product selling platform. Analysts added that there were a number of factors that led to this price rise of older phones, with one of them being the launch of the 4G only P50 series. These used flagship devices are now not only more cost effective despite being high end, but also support 5G networking that the latest launch doesn’t.

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Oppo has just revision the pricing for certain smartphone models in India. This revision in price was for the company’s A series of budget and affordable mid range handsets, with the new prices being live as of today (1st of July 2021).

The news was first shared on Twitter by @Abhishek Yadav and is already reflected on online listings on popular e-retail websites that have these smartphone models in stock. On the social media platform, Abhishek shared a small number of models along with their new revised pricing. This includes the Oppo A11K, which is now available for 8,990 INR (roughly 120 US Dollars). While this was the original pricing of the device, it is still notable since it was launched back in June of last year.

Oppo revised pricing of their Oppo "A" series models from July 1, 2021 in India.

New Pricing
– Oppo A11K ₹8,990

– Oppo A15 2GB+32GB ₹9,490
– Oppo A15 3GB+32GB ₹10,490

-Oppo A15s 4GB+64GB ₹12,490

– Oppo A53s 8GB+128GB ₹17,990#Oppo pic.twitter.com/u6qwzgYaec

— Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) July 1, 2021

Similarly, the Oppo A15 series also saw a price revision, with its 2GB + 32GB variant now being sold for 9,490 INR (roughly 127 US Dollars) while the 3GB + 32GB variant is now available for 10,490 INR (roughly 140 US Dollars). Again, while this isn’t exactly a rise from its launch price, it is still close to its original offering from October 2020. Usually, the prices of smartphones drop within a couple of months, which is especially true for mid range and budget devices.

Lastly, the A15s is now available for 12,490 INR (roughly 167 US Dollars), up from 11,490 INR (roughly 154 US Dollars), while the Oppo A53‘s 8GB + 128GB variant is now priced at 17,990 INR (roughly 241 US Dollars). This also marks a 1,000 INR rise from the original 16,990 INR launch price (roughly 228 US Dollars). Recently, a number of brands have revised the pricing of their products in India.

This includes Xiaomi, which raised the prices for its Mi TVs. Similarly, even the Redmi Note 10 saw its third price hike in India earlier this month. At the moment, the world is suffering from a shortage of semiconductors and various firms are also struggling to maintain a consistent supply for a number of their products. The automobiles and the consumer electronics market are two such affected industries.

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The global shortage of semiconductors has already impacted various industries like automobiles. This has now further spread to affect downstream markets like the consumer electronic segments including personal computers, smartphones, and even home appliances as well, causing a hike in price across every sector.

According to a ChinaDaily report, these markets are already seeing price adjustments since the beginning of this year. The news based on a Business Herald report added that the average shipment prices for laptops in China rose by 6.1 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared to the previous quarter. Liu Jun, president of Lenovo‘s China branch stated in a financial briefing that “The PC industry is expected to witness price increases throughout the whole year.”

IDC Researcher Jitesh Ubrani further added that the “market continues to struggle with setbacks including component shortages and logistics issues, each of which has contributed to an increase in average selling prices.” Notably, certain models like the Huawei MateBook lineup saw prices going up by anywhere between 300 to 600 Yuan (roughly 47 to 94 US Dollars) from a few months prior. PC making brands like Acer, ASUS, and Lenovo have had to raise prices for their laptops due to the chip shortages.

The statistics revealed that over 30 companies in the semiconductor industry have adjusted their price since the second quarter, with a price hike in the range of 10 to 30 percent. Ryan Reith, IDC program vice president, said that “The ongoing shortages in the semiconductor space only further prolong the ability for vendors to refill inventory and fulfill orders to customers.” Despite the shortage, the global semiconductor revenue grew to 464 billion US Dollars last year.

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Asus and Acer, two major tech giants from Taiwan, have largely benefited from the coronavirus pandemic, which led to an increase in their notebook shipments. But now, these firms might be raising prices for these laptops due to high demand and shortage of supply.

According to a UDN report, the price hike rise is due to the demand still being high, while the supply is still catching up. Furthermore, components suppliers are already facing increasing pressure, leading them to raise the prices of these part. Thus, both Acer and Asus are expected to raise the prices of notebooks in the second quarter of this year. The supply gap is still large, but the increase in prices along with the current demand would benefit both tech giants.

This also implies that their is a wave of price hikes in the electronics industry, which extends from components to end systems and products. As per industry sources, the prices of notebooks adjusts as per the currency fluctuations in certain markets. Meanwhile, the world is also seeing a massive shortage of semiconductors at the moment, which has also led to straining of various supply chains.

Back in 2020, the laptop market saw an explosive growth due to the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted various governments to impose lockdowns. These lockdowns then led to a rising trend of online education and work from home, which required consumers to buy laptops and other large screen products like tablets as well. Acer and Asus have seen one of the strongest annual performance in years, and this trend will continue for the foreseeable future, till supply doesn’t catch up with demand.

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With various companies gearing up to launch their own offerings of laptops, tablets, monitors, and TVs with the new Mini LED backlighting, suppliers have been pushing production capacities to meet the surge in demand. However, this has also led to the rise in the price of conventional LED chips as well.

According to a TrendForce report (Via EETAsia), multiple firms in the LED supply chains had started manufacturing LED chips ahead of time, in the fourth quarter of last year. But despite this, the explosive growth in demand for Mini LED chips has led to crowding in their production capacities that have also affected other mainstream LED chips. Due to this, the global supply chain has been witnessing a shortage of LED chips, which has led to certain suppliers raising the quotes on chips supplied to their non core clients that bring relatively low gross margins.

These price hikes are generally around 5 to 10 percent. Furthermore, the report adds that the companies in the LED supply chain have also begun aggressively procuring components in other to mitigate these upcoming price hikes on raw materials and the shortage of components. This is primarily due to tight production capacities for manufacturers after the Chinese New Year. These shortages have already affected certain serial numbers or specifications. 

TrendForce believes that the structural shortage that is affecting the LED industry is primarily due to the market’s underestimation of production capacity that was necessary for key parts of the supply chain. Thus, suppliers are currently enjoying an increased bargaining power in price negotiations of LED chips due to the rise in material costs and limited material supplies as well.

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The prices of semiconductors are expected to rise due to shortages in production capacity in comparison to their demand. This has already caused certain companies to inform their customers about the increase in prices.

According to TheElec report, the world’s largest contract chip maker, TSMC, recently reversed its price cut policy for its major customers, due to the higher demands. Furthermore, this is also reflected in the actions of other foundry based firms like GlobalFounderies, which reportedly is operating all of its fabs at near 100 percent capacity. The South Korean tech giant, Samsung Electronics, is apparently also in a similar position at the moment.

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Other chipmakers in Taiwan, including UMC and VIS, have also increased chip production prices, and in the case of DB HiTek from South Korea, prices have hiked as high as 20 percent despite their fabs running at 100 percent capacity. Thus, the shortages of supply in the market are expected to cause a rise in memory and semiconductor systems prices.

Similarly, the fixed prices of DRAMs are also expected to rise by around 5 percent in the first quarter of 2021. These chips spot prices were around 3.46 US Dollars back in December 2020, marking a rise of 30 percent from November 2020. This price hike also being witnessed by Chinese companies like Goodix, and LCD components makers like Novatek.

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LG recently announced that it will continue to assemble its smartphones in India despite the recent import duty hike on components shipped from overseas. However, this is also causing the company to expect a rise in prices for its smartphones in the region.

According to Advait Vaidya, Mobile Communications Business Head at LG India, “We are totally committed to MAKE IN INDIA vision & will continue to manufacture in India. In the long term, this situation will also create possibilities of local production by vendors including display & other components.” In other words, the move from the Indian government is aimed to boost the local production of such components.

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For those unaware, from 1st October 2020, the central government has levied a 10 percent basic customs duty on imports of various components like display assembly, touch panel/cover glass assembly, and more. This arrives despite various requests to the government to delay the levy by a year since these components aren’t currently made in India at the moment, which may lead to prices going up in the smartphone market by at least 3 to 5 percent as per industry estimates.

Vaidya further added that “we are closely monitoring the situation, it may have an impact on prices,” when reached out to by ET. LG is assembling its smartphone through its Pune factory and only holds less than 1 percent of the total Indian market. The components that are facing the import duty hike also make up for 25 percent of the smartphone’s cost, and it may take at least two years to establish a dedicated display fab unit in India if the company does decide to invest 300 to 400 crores on a single unit.

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Since the US chip supply ban, it has become hard for someone to buy a Huawei smartphone equipped with a 5G Kirin chipset. And reportedly, the prices of said devices have also surged in the market recently.

According to a new report from GlobalTimes (a Chinese state-run media), the prices of 5G enabled smartphones from the Chinese tech giant have risen. In Beijing’s largest wholesale market, Zhongguancun, of 3C products, the prices of these 5G Huawei devices have risen, with high end flagships like the Huawei Mate 30 Porsche version being sold for more than 3,000 Yuan (roughly 447 US Dollars) more than their original price that is already a high 2,200 US Dollars.

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As per an employee of a mobile store in the Zhongguancun market, the sizeable price hike began more than a month ago. A dealer stated that “Some distributors are stocking up, with prices rising from 100 to 400 yuan on average for all types of Huawei models. In addition, models with different configurations and colors are running out of stock. It is not easy for us to get the phone sets now. It is estimated that the channel price of the phones carrying the Kirin 9000 chip will increase, but the official price will not be raised.”

For those unaware, the Chinese vendor lost its chip supply from TSMC due to US sanctions. Since then, the company has stockpiled on Kirin chips aggressively, while separate reports have shown that other Chinese chipmakers have also seemingly abandoned it after the US deadline. So analysts believe that the shortage of chip supply and loss of Google mobile services support on its devices has put a lot of pressure on the company in the market.

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Earlier this week, a few rumors surfaced on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website, which stated that the price of Xiaomi TVs is expected to rise soon. Reportedly, the cause for the price hike across the board is due to the rise in the cost of display panels used in its TVs.

Reportedly, Xiaomi will be raising the price of its entire lineup of TVs. The blogger reported that the price of LCD panels has risen significantly in recent times. Thus, one can expect a rise in Xiaomi TV, which will be announced by the company on 28th August 2020 through their official offline and online stores. The blogger also added that the mainstream Xiaomi TV models that are currently available in the market, will have their prices raised, with hikes ranging from 100 to 300 Yuan (roughly 15 to 45 US Dollars).

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While the original report from the blogger did break the news, ZNDS network confirmed it through their exclusive sources. According to their sources, Xiaomi is indeed looking to adjust the prices of their TV lineup from Friday onwards, although, the company will be announcing the price increase at a later date.

A separate report from an analytical firm revealed that prices for display panels have risen in August, with 55 inch and 32 inch panels rising by 10 percent, while 50 inch and 65 inch panels having prices rise by 8 to 10 percent as well. Unfortunately, this is still not confirmed officially, so we will have to wait and see if Xiaomi actually ends up raising the price or not, and whether this decision is also reflected in overseas markets like India.

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Recently, the Indian government hiked the GST rate for smartphones, and thus, the smartphone makers hiked the pricing of several popular phones in India. Now, Motorola is following the suite with the Moto G8 Power Lite.

The Moto G8 Power Lite smartphone was launched in India in May for ₹8,999 (~$120). From now onwards, the device will be available for purchase for ₹9,499 (~$126) which represents an increase of ₹500 (~$7).

Coming to the specifications, the smartphone features a 6.5-inch Max Vision IPS LCD display that offers HD+ screen resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. There’s a notch on top of the display for housing the front-facing camera sensor.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the MediaTek Helio P35 chipset, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The phone comes in this single memory variant. However, there’s a microSD card slot that enables storage expansion.

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In the camera department, the phone has a triple-camera setup on the back that consists of a 16-megapixel primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture and PDAF, an f/2.4 aperture 2-megapixel macro shooter, and an f/2.4 aperture 2-megapixel depth sensor.

On the front side, the device offers an 8-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The smartphone, which comes with a splash-resistant body, supports Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and micro-USB port.

The Moto G8 Power Lite is running the older Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box. This is a bit disappointing given that the could have offered the Android 10 operating system as the launch of Android 11 is just around the corner. The device is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging support.

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While many have already seen essential goods and commodities have their prices inflate due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, you wouldn’t expect a smartphone to be inflated as well. The Honor Play4 Pro is the victim of the bizarre new market inflation with its prices reaching premium high end handset levels.

The 5G smartphone from the Huawei subsidiary is currently available on eBay for a whopping price of 999 US Dollars, which is near twice its original price that is around 423 US Dollars (2,999 Yuan in China). Furthermore, at this price, one can buy an Apple iPhone 11 Pro. Honor Play4 Pro was launched earlier this month in China with respectable specifications at its price range.

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However, its most notable aspect wasn’t its chip or camera, rather its unique functions. This function was a non-contact IR temperature sensor that could measure the surface temperature of people and objects on the go. In other words, a temperature scanner machine built right into your smartphone. This feature is particularly useful now of all times due to the severity of the viral outbreak.

Although, this method of temperature checks isn’t exactly without its own shortcomings. Unlike a regular temperature/thermal checking machine, the Honor Play4 Pro requires the user to hold the phone really close to the body which they are trying to map. This technically defeats the purpose of avoiding close proximity. So, it is highly advised to avoid such listings.

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(Source,Via)

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POCO X2 just like other phones in India received a price hike in April due to the new 18% GST. On May 31st, its price was once again bumped but only for the base and mid variant. Now, the high-end 8GB + 256B also gets its second price hike making it ₹1,500 costlier than its launch price.

POCO X2 launched in India as a rebranded Redmi K30 4G in February 2020. It is the brand’s second smartphone as well as its first with 120Hz refresh rate display. Since its debut in the country, it has been one of the best contenders in the sub-₹20,000 price segment.

The handset launched in three storage configurations in India for a starting price of ₹15,999 for the base 6GB + 64GB variant. Whereas, the mid 6GB + 128GB and high-end 8GB + 256GB were introduced for ₹16,999 and ₹19,999 respectively.

But now, after two price hikes of ₹1,000 and ₹500, the POCO X2 costs ₹17,499, ₹18,499, and ₹21,499 in India for all the three variants.

Even after the increment of price, the POCO X2 still remains one of the best phones in its segment competing with the likes of Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, Realme 6 Pro, Realme X2, and others.

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(Via)

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Xiaomi India has been recently increasing the price of its smartphones every other week. It all started when the new 18% GST(Goods & Services Tax) went live for mobile phones in April. The last hike for the whole Redmi 8/Redmi Note 8 series was in late May. Now, once again, the second cheapest model in that series, Redmi 8A Dual (3GB + 32GB) gets a new price bump along with Redmi Note 9 Pro Max.

This is the second price hike for both Redmi 8A Dual (3GB + 32GB) and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max respectively. The price of these two handsets has been increased by ₹1,300 and  ₹2,000 from their launch.

The Redmi 8A Dual launched as the cheapest Xiaomi smartphone with a dual-camera setup in India. Unfortunately, the company has hiked the price of the base 2GB + 32GB three times and mid-3GB + 32GB variant two times apart from launching a new 3GB + 64GB version for ₹8,999.

Here’s the current price of all the variants of Redmi 8A Dual in India after the new ₹300 price hike for the mid-variant.

Further, Xiaomi also increased the price of Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, by another ₹500 for the 6GB + 64GB and 6GB + 128GB storage configurations. The base variant is now only ₹500 cheaper than the POCO X2 but the mid-variant of both the handsets cost the same.

However, the high-end 8GB + 128GB version did not receive any price hike this time.

The new price of Redmi 8A Dual and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is live on Mi Online Store and Amazon India.

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(Via)

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Poco X2 launched as the brand’s second smartphone in February 2020 almost one and a half year from the launch of Poco F1. It is a rebranded Redmi K30 4G and is only limited to India. Now, after 4 months from its release, the handset’s price has been hiked (increased) second time. The phone now costs up to ₹1,500 more than its launch price.

Poco became an independent brand ahead of the announcement of Poco X2. Hence, the device is exclusively available on Flipkart and cannot be bought Mi.com in India.

The handset comes in three storage configurations – 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB. They debuted at the price of ₹15,999, ₹16,999, and ₹19,999 respectively.

But within two months from its release, a new GST (Goods and Services Tax) for phones came into effective from April. This led the brand to increase the price of all the storage variants by ₹1,000. Thus, they were available for ₹16,999, ₹17,999, and ₹20,999 up until May 30.

But from May 31, Poco has once again hiked the price of base and mid variants of Poco X2 by another ₹500. Hence, the handset now costs ₹17,499, ₹18,499, and ₹20,999 respectively since the higher-end variant did not receive any price hike this time.

Here’s a table to understand the new price of Poco X2 in India.

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(Via)

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Xiaomi India has once again increased the price of Redmi 8A Dual, Redmi 8, and Redmi Note 8 in the country. This is the third price hike for these handsets and second in a month. Last time, the price of these devices were hiked/increased by ₹500 and the same has happened again.

The Redmi 8A Dual, the cheapest of the lot launched at ₹6,499 for the 2GB + 32GB variant. The price of this handset was later increased to ₹6,999 when the new GST came into effect in April. 

This was followed by an unexplained price hike in early May making the phone retail for ₹7,299. Now, once again, the company increases its price by ₹200 and hence it now retails for ₹7,499. It is worth noting that higher 3GB + 32GB did not see any change in price this time and still retails for ₹7,999.

A similar pattern can be seen for the next two phones as well. The Redmi 8 4GB + 64GB launched at ₹7,999. But the GST hike increased its price to ₹8,999, followed by another hike earlier this month (₹9,299) and now it costs ₹9,499 after the latest ₹200 hike.

The Redmi Note 8 was crowned with the best smartphone title for ₹9,999 when it launched. But now after months from its release, the base 4GB + 64GB variant’s price has been increased by ₹2,000, whereas the 6GB + 128GB has received a price hike of ₹1,500. The phone now costs ₹11,999 and ₹14,499 respectively for the two available storage configurations.

Like the other two devices mentioned above, this is the third overall price hike for the Redmi Note 8 too. The new prices of these handsets are applicable to both online and offline channels.

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(Via)

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A couple of weeks ago, the Indian government announced that mobile phones will fall under 18 percent GST slab, increasing the tax rate by 50 percent. Previously, the GST rate for mobile phones was set at 12 percent in India.

While several industry leaders complained about the change and requested the government to reconsider the decision, there has been no change yet. As the new tax rate takes effect from today, i.e. 1st April, smartphone manufactures have now increased pricing in India.

Xiaomi has announced that the pricing for Mi and Redmi branded smartphones in India has been increased following the 50 percent hike in GST. The company says that it has no choice other than hiking the prices of their products with the new GST rates in place effective today.

The company also cited the continuous depreciation of the Indian rupee against the US dollar as one of the reasons to hike pricing. Xiaomi has said that the newly updated pricing will soon appear for devices on Mi.com.

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Another smartphone brand that increased pricing is OPPO but the company has not yet officially announced this move. As per the report, it has started notifying dealers and partners across the country about its plan to increase pricing.

It seems that the company could not have picked up the worse day to announce this price hike given that today is April Fool’s day and many will consider this announcement from Xiaomi to be a joke. But, to be clear, this is not a joke and the prices for Xiaomi’s smartphones have gone up on Flipkart.

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(Sources — 1, 2)

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Apple has officially raised the prices of its current flagship smartphones, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max in India. The hike in price arrived after the Indian Government increased the Basic Custom Duty rates (BCD) after the newly recent union budget was publicly announced.

The iPhone 11 Pro series wasn’t the only device affected as the iPhone 8 series prices have also been affected. Notably, other Apple smartphones like the iPhone XR and iPhone 7 prices will not be affected as the Cupertino based giant has been assembling these models locally within India through its known manufacturers Foxconn and Wistron.

Furthermore, iPhone 11 prices will also remain unchanged as the company decided to absorb the cost after the increased customs duty. Apple’s other gadget offerings like the prices of the Apple Watch, Mac and iPads are unaffected as well. So now, the iPhone 11 Pro Max 64GB variant is priced at 1,11,200 INR while the 256GB variant is offered at 1,25,000 INR and 512GB variant arrives at 1,43,200 INR. Previously, the model started from 1,09,900 INR in India.

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Similarly, the iPhone 11 Pro 64GB version is now priced at 1,01,200 INR while the 256GB version now sells for 1,15,200 INR and 512GB carries a price tag of 1,33,200 INR. The smartphone was originally priced at 99,900 INR. Finally, the iPhone 8 Plus 64GB variant will no sell for 50,600 INR and its 128GB variant will be priced at 55,600 INR. The base iPhone 8 64GB now costs 40,500 and the 128GB version is now sold for 45,500.

Thus, a price hike varying from 1,300 to 700 INR can be observed in the aforementioned Apple iPhones. In 2019, Apple saw one of its best performances in India as it finished sith in Q4 of 2019. Its the highest ranking the company has ever reported on since 2013, according to Canalys. Apple sold over 925,000 iPhones in the final quarter which is nearly double that of the same quarter from the previous year.

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(Via)

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Oppo‘s sub-brand Realme which made its mark in India’s budget smartphone segment with aggressive pricing could soon increase the pricing of its products in the Indian market.

Realme India CEO Madhav Seth said through Twitter that the brand has been on a backfoot because of the declining margins mainly due to the falling of Rupee. He further hinted that the company could hike prices post-Diwali to make up for the margins.

The Indian Rupee has been tumbling since the beginning of the year and has now touched a record low of Rs. 72.84 against USD. This increases the company’s cost for importing which in turn hits the company’s margin which probably is pretty low in such a competitive market. Also, most components are bought in US dollars from other countries, such as China and Japan, among others.

While the post from Realme India CEO does not currently say whether the price hike will be for all products or a particular offering, it seems pretty certain that the company will increase the pricing after the Diwali festival.

In the twitter post, Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme India said:

This is the second smartphone manufacturer who has hinted about the price increase post-Diwali in India. Recently, during the Redmi 6 line-up launch in India in September, Xiaomi hinted towards price hike and said that it’ll wait for a few months to see how INR performs against USD before taking such a move. Given that the Rupee is still falling, it seems that Xiaomi will increase the price of its products after Diwali.

Realme started off as an online-only sub-brand of China-based Oppo but later split from its parent company to work as an independent brand. Apart from selling its phones through its official website and other online marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart, it also partnered with Reliance Digital for selling its phones through offline stores.

So far, the company has launched four smartphones — Realme 1, Realme 2, Realme 2 Pro and Realme C1. The company has posted pretty impressive numbers, highlighting the newly-formed company’s popularity in the budget smartphone segment. The company claims to have sold more than 2 million phones during the Big Billion Days and Festive Dhamaka Sale on Flipkart.

Till date, the Realme 2 has been the brand’s bestselling phone, having sold more than 1 million devices in just 40 days of the launch. It also claims to have sold over 110,000 units of Realme C1 entry-level phone in just one second during Flipkart’s sale.

Read More: Realme 2 Pro launched with 6.3-inch display, Snapdragon 660, 8 GB RAM and dual 16MP rear cameras

Meanwhile, the company has already announced that it’ll be the first smartphone brand to launch a phone powered by MediaTek’s newly announced Helio P70 octa-core chipset that promises a 13 percent performance improvement compared to the Helio P60.

(Source)

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