This year’s RAM crisis has seen smartphone prices across all segments increase significantly compared to last year. Manufacturers like Samsung are for the first time in history increasing phone prices post-launch to cover rising costs. In a recent report by Counterpoint Research, the average price of a smartphone has increased by 15% globally so far.
The impact of the price increase is most pronounced in India with an average increase of 21% followed by Asia Pacific (19%), Africa and the Middle East (18%), Latin America (16%), China (10%), Europe (7%) and the United States (5%). The countries most responsible for causing the global RAM shortage are the least affected by the increase in RAM prices.
In addition to smartphones becoming more expensive, manufacturers are also starting to offer devices with more storage, memory and lower camera specifications. In certain price segments, 4G devices have been reintroduced to make them more affordable for consumers.
The global RAM crisis is predicted to intensify starting in 2027 with all production booked throughout the year. RAM supply is only expected to stabilize again by the end of 2028 according to the most optimistic forecasts.
