Apple's next price hike could be bad news for Android buyers too
… AI’s massive appetite for memory chips is driving up component costs, putting pricing pressure on the entire smartphone industry. …
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How Samsung's latest RAM decision will hurt budget Android phones
… Demand at the high end is arguably even more intense, and the cost impact is already showing. DRAM is expected to account for 20–23% of phone BOM costs in mid-tier and premium smartphones in Q2 2026 — up from well below 7% a year earlier for LPDDR5X. …
The $500 phone isn't dying, but rising costs might make it a lot less exciting
… By • March 21, 2026 • • • Add AndroidAuthority on Google As the RAM crisis continues to bite , the first smartphone releases of 2026 are having to contend with the limited availability and rising costs of precious memory. …
The RAM crisis is here — and it may ruin these 5 Android phones
… In fact, it projects that RAM will account for 43% of the total component costs. This is bad news, as the vast majority of smartphone owners use budget phones in the first place. This means we could see low-end phones like the Galaxy A08 shipping with even less RAM to cut costs. …
Nintendo Switch 2 gets a price hike, now costs as much as the PS5 originally did
… The ongoing AI boom has only intensified that pressure. Those costs eventually trickle down to consumer gadgets, whether it is smartphones, GPUs, or now gaming consoles. …
Despite record Galaxy S26 pre-orders, Samsung's mobile unit is literally in emergency mode
… In fact, the company said pre-orders saw a double-digit increase over the Galaxy S25 series . “With cost pressures severe due to rising semiconductor prices and the increasing burden of logistics costs, the MX business unit has ultimately been forced to enter an emergency management system,” a Sams… …
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 may miss out on S26 Ultra’s best features
… The latest Galaxy Z Fold 8 leak suggests Samsung is ditching some of the premium features buyers expect from a device that costs nearly $2,000. …
10 years later, no phone has replaced what Google promised
… Project Ara could’ve flipped the entire economy of smartphones, where brands couldn’t constantly push me to switch phones, and I could simply improve the part I cared about. It could’ve championed the things smartphone makers today only wish for. …
I’m tired of Verizon’s customer service, but is the grass any greener on the other side?
… Inflation, the pandemic, and other economic issues have also led to increased pressure from investors to squeeze as much profit as possible while costs continue to rise in the background. …
I won't buy the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 without these 5 upgrades
… I’d love for the company to slash the cost of its flagship, but that’s fairly unlikely. …