Nothing Warns AI Memory Crunch Could Lift Smartphone Prices by 30%
Updated
Updated · PCMag · Jun 13
Nothing Warns AI Memory Crunch Could Lift Smartphone Prices by 30%
3 articles · Updated · PCMag · Jun 13
Summary
Carl Pei said smartphone brands may have to raise prices by 30% or more, warning this year’s sales season will bring weaker discounts and urging buyers not to wait.
AI data centers are driving the squeeze, he said, because hyperscalers are locking in silicon wafer capacity years ahead for the same memory used in phones.
Nothing expects to raise prices across its own lineup as models refresh, while entry-level and midrange phone segments could shrink by more than 20% if vendors cut specs or pass on costs.
TrendForce forecasts smartphone prices will rise 10% in 2026 and laptop prices 15%, while SK Hynix’s chairman says the broader memory shortage could last until 2030.