2026 horror: mid-range phones to drop from 12 GB to 8 GB of RAM?

If you think the last few years were strange, well, let me tell you something, brother: you better brace yourself, as times are about to get… even stranger.

Not 12, but 8 GB of RAM for mid-rangers (allegedly)

A report from overseas cites some disturbing TrendForce predictions about 2026 and beyond that have to do with the soaring RAM chip prices, which I'm sure you've heard about already.

Big AI projects and behemoth data centers suck up memory chips, which causes shortages and severe price hikes. Some phones are already a bit more expensive in China, while the Galaxy S26 – the next big thing on the horizon – could also get pricier. Xiaomi and Honor tablets are also "promised" price hikes in 2026.

But what if that's not the end of the story?

What if… phones get… downgraded in terms of hardware?



TrendForce's latest report warns that rising memory prices in early 2026 will put significant cost pressure on the smartphone industry. Even profitable models like the iPhone could see higher production costs, which may force Apple to rethink pricing for new releases and reconsider discounts on older models.

For Android brands, particularly those in the low-to-mid-price segment, memory is a key selling point and already represents a large share of production costs. Hence, higher component prices will likely lead to increased phone prices and adjustments to older models' availability or specs.

The report also predicts that rising memory costs will slow the pace of upgrades across the smartphone market. Mid-range and high-end phones may see DRAM capacities standardize at lower levels than previously expected (not 12 GB of RAM, but, say 8 gigs), while low-end devices could revert to just 4 GB of RAM.

Manufacturers will need to balance costs with performance, and resource advantages will increasingly favor leading brands that can absorb higher component prices without cutting features or compromising competitiveness.

That's not cool (at all!)

Limiting budget smartphones to 4 GB of RAM is a move that could seriously harm user experience.

Modern apps and mobile operating systems are increasingly memory-hungry, with social media platforms, browsers, and multitasking features demanding more than 4 GB to run smoothly.

With only 4 GB, devices are guaranteed to experience frequent app reloads, slow performance, and lag when switching between tasks. A major bummer, if you ask me.

This, of course, also limits the phone's longevity, as future software updates and apps will require more memory, making these devices obsolete faster.

Let's hope this one doesn't turn out to be true!

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