Price hike alert: Are your next smartphones from Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi going to cost more?
The Indian smartphone market is poised for a major shift, with manufacturers set to launch upcoming phones at higher prices, and established models potentially seeing cost increases as well.
The cost of buying a new smartphone is set to rise significantly. Brands including Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and OnePlus are launching their upcoming smartphones at higher price points, and prices for already-released models may also increase.
Evidence of price hikes
Recent flagship launches clearly demonstrate this trend:
- OnePlus: The recently launched flagship, the OnePlus 15, started at Rs 72,999. The new phone is priced at Rs 3,000 more than the OnePlus 13, which was released earlier this year at a cost of Rs 69,999. Additionally, Apple has also raised the prices for its new iPhone 17 series that came out this year.The iPhone 17 starts at Rs 82,999, which is Rs 5,000 more than last year’s iPhone 16. (It is worth noting that this year's iPhone starts with a larger 256GB storage variant.)
- The trend of rising smartphone prices is likely to keep going, especially with the new iQOO 15 and Oppo Find X9 series phones expected to cost more. This increase in prices is affecting how many smartphones are being sold, which is worrying for the companies involved.
Why are smartphones becoming expensive?
While smartphone companies have not shared official information regarding the price hikes, industry experts point to supply chain issues related to memory components.
- Rising Demand for AI Chips: There has been a big increase in the need for special chips used in artificial intelligence, which has caused manufacturers to focus on making these chips more than others.
- Shortage of Flash Memory: Because so much attention is being directed toward AI chips, the production of standard flash memory chips is being affected. This is causing delays in the supply chain and leading to higher prices and more demand for these memory components.
- Needs of Tech Companies: Technology companies rely on flash memory chips, among other parts, to help train their advanced AI systems. The current high demand for chips has created a big gap between supply and demand, which may result in suppliers raising their prices.
This increase is not limited to mobile devices; all electronic products using flash memory chips, including smart TVs, could become more expensive.
Current price increases by brands
Due to supply chain issues with memory chips, delays in smartphone launches are possible, and most upcoming smartphones could see prices increase by up to Rs 3,000 compared to their predecessors.
Some brands have already adjusted prices:
- Oppo has increased the price of the Reno 14 and Reno 14 Pro, launched this year, by Rs 2,000.
- Vivo has also raised the price of its budget smartphones, the Vivo T4x and Vivo T4x Lite, by Rs 500.
Consequently, consumers should anticipate seeing higher prices for smartphones from many other brands in the near future.
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