Nothing CEO Warns Phone Prices Will Rise Into 2027 as RAM Tops 50% of Costs
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jun 12
Nothing CEO Warns Phone Prices Will Rise Into 2027 as RAM Tops 50% of Costs
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jun 12
Summary
Memory now accounts for more than 50% of a smartphone’s hardware bill, and Nothing CEO Carl Pei said that will keep pushing phone prices higher into next year.
For Nothing’s Phone 4a, RAM costs doubled between the build decision and launch, then doubled again, showing how the shortage is already hitting mid-range devices.
Since February, new phones have launched up to $100 above their predecessors, while phones priced above ₹30,000 in India have risen by ₹7,000 or more, Pei said.
Holiday promotions are also likely to weaken because memory is being allocated during the shortage rather than freely bought, limiting manufacturers’ ability to discount.
Samsung and Google are also expected to raise handset prices, suggesting the memory crunch is becoming an industry-wide pricing problem.