🐯虎嗅•Stalecollected in 16m
Phone Makers Hike Prices on Chip Surge
💡DRAM/NAND prices up 90% hit phones, signaling broader AI hardware cost rises
⚡ 30-Second TL;DR
What Changed
OPPO K13 Turbo/Pro up 500 CNY; vivo X300 series eyes 500-700 CNY hikes.
Why It Matters
Storage hikes pressure phone profits, accelerating premium shift; AI infra costs may follow as supply tightens.
What To Do Next
Monitor TrendForce storage reports to forecast AI server NAND procurement costs.
Who should care:Founders & Product Leaders
Key Points
- •OPPO K13 Turbo/Pro up 500 CNY; vivo X300 series eyes 500-700 CNY hikes.
- •DRAM Q1 up >50%, NAND >90%; low-end BOM rises 25% per Counterpoint.
- •Low-end margins <20%, some negative; focus shifts to high-price products.
- •Honor, Xiaomi prepping 200-1000 CNY rises; inventory delays some.
🧠 Deep Insight
Web-grounded analysis with 7 cited sources.
🔑 Enhanced Key Takeaways
- •AI data centers and server applications are diverting DRAM and high-bandwidth memory supply away from consumer electronics, exacerbating the shortage[1][2][3].
- •Nothing CEO Carl Pei warned that budget and mid-range brands will struggle most, with memory costs tripling and now comprising up to 40% of smartphone BOM for mainstream configs[4][5].
- •Global smartphone production is forecasted to drop 10% YoY to 1.135 billion units in 2026 due to unabsorbable memory price hikes and reduced consumer demand[5].
- •Apple secured NAND supply through early 2026 but faces >50% DRAM increases, while Samsung notes no manufacturer can fully escape the global shortage[1][2].
📊 Competitor Analysis▸ Show
| Company | Positioning | Impact from Memory Surge |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | Premium focus | Secured NAND volume but vulnerable to DRAM hikes >50%; better positioned due to price-tolerant customers[2][5] |
| Xiaomi/Transsion | Entry-level heavy | High vulnerability; limited pass-through ability likely leads to production cuts[5] |
| Samsung | All segments | Publicly states no escape from shortages; Galaxy S26 already pricier[1] |
🔮 Future ImplicationsAI analysis grounded in cited sources
Global smartphone shipments will decline 10% in 2026
TrendForce predicts output falls to 1.135 billion units as memory costs surge to 30-40% of BOM, exceeding consumer price tolerance and forcing production adjustments[5]
Entry-level brands like Xiaomi will cut low-end production
Reliance on price-sensitive markets limits cost pass-through, unlike premium-focused Apple, making them prone to significant output revisions amid persistent high memory prices[5]
Memory will exceed 20% of total smartphone BOM in 2026
Counterpoint reports memory already at 20% with 25% BoM rise expected, driven by DRAM/NAND surges from AI redirection[1]
⏳ Timeline
2025-12
CSPs pull in server DRAM orders, tightening consumer supply
2026-01
DRAM prices rise >70% YoY, NAND doubles per Omdia/TrendForce
2026-01-05
TrendForce forecasts Q1 DRAM up 55-60% QoQ, NAND 33-38%
2026-01-10
TrendForce notes memory as key smartphone cost driver
2026-01-14
Igorslab reports memory at >20% of manufacturing costs
2026-02-11
TrendForce predicts 10% global smartphone production decline
📎 Sources (7)
Factual claims are grounded in the sources below. Forward-looking analysis is AI-generated interpretation.
- igorslab.de — Significant Increase in Memory Prices Makes Smartphones More Expensive Dram and Nand Account for a Large Share of Costs
- phonearena.com — Apple Nand 2026 Dram Prices Iphones Higher Id177119
- evertiq.com — 2026 01 05 Dram and Nand Flash Prices to Surge in Q1 2026
- androidcentral.com — Nothings CEO Says Smartphones Are About to Get More Expensive
- trendforce.com — 20260211 12922
- finance.biggo.com — Msfd3zwbzk7xib5fa7ci
- smartphones.gadgethacks.com — Ram Price Surge Could Make 2026 Smartphones Cost More
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Original source: 虎嗅 ↗