… well, we could end up paying more than expected for those. That's a dark prediction, I know, but it's not out of the question for this scenario to play out in 2026.
20-30% more expensive?
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra for reference. | Image by PhoneArena
The pretty much reliable Far East tipster Digital Chat Station recently shared this (it's machine translated):
The price increase of memory is more serious than everyone thinks. It will be gradually passed on to the consumer end from the supply chain. In the future, we will see that products with large storage capacity will become more and more expensive. [...] A few months ago, I said that memory prices were rising, and the recent wave of new phones has confirmed this. LPDDR5X (RAM) is currently showing a significant upward trend. The industry predicts that the memory price of new flagships next year will increase by 20-30% year-on-year.
– Digital Chat Station account on Weibo, October 2025
For reference, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra launched in Europe for ~$1,740, and a 25% price hike on top of that sends us somewhere north of $2,170 for the next Ultra (potentially). Which is not fun at all.
But why?
Xiaomi said that rising memory chip prices have pushed up the cost of making smartphones, Reuters reports.
The company recently released their new Redmi K90 series. Xiaomi president Lu Weibing wrote on Weibo that the surge in memory costs has forced higher pricing for new models and warned that costs could climb further.
The Redmi K90 launched Thursday with a base configuration of 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, priced at 2,599 yuan (~$364), slightly higher than the 2,499 yuan starting price of last year's K80. Lu acknowledged consumer concerns over pricing differences between configurations and said Xiaomi would reduce the price of the most popular 12 GB/512 GB model by 300 yuan to 2,899 yuan during the first month of sales.
The spike in memory prices comes amid a global scramble for chips for AI applications, which has tightened supply of standard smartphone, PC, and server chips, driving costs up.
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So, maybe get a new flagship now?
I can't tell with certainty whether 2026 flagships will all be 20-30% more expensive, so don't rush to get a 2025 phone only to find out this tipster's predictions don't turn out to be true. If you need a phone right now, there are plenty of models to choose from.
I can give you a great piece of advice, though: flagship or no, ask for a pay rise in 2025 – because 2026 is going to be wild.
Are you ready to pay 20-30% more for a flagship in 2026?
Yes, I'm loaded with cash.
18.18%
Yes, but only if the new model is a true upgrade.
9.09%
Maybe, but only if I have the money to spend.
9.09%
Hell no.
63.64%
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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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