Phones already on shelves rose 15% in price in 2026 as memory chip costs surged
Counterpoint Research's September 2026 tracker found that smartphones already on sale rose 15% in price on average this year, with some models nearly doubling. The firm attributes the increase to memory chips, whose prices have reportedly quadrupled since the fourth quarter of 2025. Over 40% of smartphone models have seen price hikes so far in 2026, and new launches cost 25% more than their predecessors. Some makers have also trimmed specifications, offering lower storage, fewer cameras, and a return to 4G models in certain segments. The impact varies by region, hitting India and Asia Pacific hardest, while the US saw smaller increases and Apple has so far kept iPhone prices steady.
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