Xiaomi finalizes price hikes, with Samsung and Apple hot on its heels

Xiaomi has been hinting at inevitable price hikes for a while, and the company has finally decided on how much more expensive its smartphones are going to get. Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung are also likely going to be following suit, as memory pricing surges across the industry, making price increases unavoidable.

Xiaomi settles on 10 percent increase

According to a new report (translated source), Xiaomi has decided on an approximately 10 percent price hike for its newest flagship smartphone, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The phone, which will be unveiled on December 25, will be priced at around $1,000, while its predecessor retailed for around $924 in its domestic market.

Lu Weibing — President at Xiaomi — has previously stated that even steeper price hikes are inevitable for 2026. In fact, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is being released earlier than expected, before price hikes could affect its retail price tag too heavily.

Samsung and Apple are undoubtedly next

According to the report, Counterpoint Research — a market research firm — has projected price hikes for all smartphone models across the industry. Low-end phones are projected to see the highest price increase of around 25 percent, while mid-range phones are projected to see an increase of around 15 percent. Meanwhile, high-end phones are expected to see price hikes of around 10 percent.

All research, and Xiaomi’s president’s words, point to a single reality: Samsung and Apple phones will see price hikes in 2026 and beyond. Google, Oppo, and other major smartphone manufacturers will not be exempt, either. It’s just how the industry is being shaped right now.

Biggest selling factor led to price hikes

Ironically, the price hikes are being driven by rapid AI infrastructure expansion. Memory prices are skyrocketing because this infrastructure needs tons of it. AI has also, for the last handful of years, been the most highly marketed feature for modern smartphones.

The biggest selling factor, which most consumers still do not care about, ended up making these phones more expensive, placing them out of reach for more people. And, as Apple Intelligence switches to Google Gemini, we can expect more marketing for these features in the future as well.

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