Another Round of Phone Price Hikes in China: Get Ready to Pay Up to $300 Extra for Smartphone Storage

The Chinese smartphone market is on the verge of a major price hike due to a critical shortage of memory chips. This is forcing manufacturers to re-evaluate the cost of already-released models and factor risks into the pricing of future devices. According to industry insiders and retailers, the price increase could land between $70 and $300.

The first wave of price adjustments is expected on March 16th, and OPPO has officially confirmed the changes for its authorized sales points. The premium segment will take the hardest hit, with foldable devices potentially seeing a price jump of nearly $300. Retailers explain the decision was made at the manufacturer level and will affect not only new shipments but also units currently on display.

Retail chains for HONOR are also recording price increases almost in real-time. According to sellers, the recently launched foldable Magic V6, in its 512GB and 1TB versions, is already $140 more expensive than comparable variants of the previous model. Not all market players are in the same boat, however. Products from Apple and Xiaomi haven't been caught up in this wave of increases yet, with official stores for these brands having received no notices about price changes, though rumors of an imminent hike are growing. Huawei is in a unique position: thanks to building up large stockpiles of memory chips in advance, the company is maintaining its old price tags and has no plans to revise them in the near future.

Analysts link the memory chip shortage gripping the industry to supply chain disruptions and surging demand from server and AI system manufacturers. This has led to a redistribution of volumes and, consequently, a shortage of components for mobile electronics.

For the average consumer, this situation means the usual price benchmarks for choosing a smartphone are about to shift. While you used to be able to snag a flagship model at a discount a couple of months after its launch, even last year's models might now hold their value or, on the contrary, actually become more expensive.

Are you planning to buy a new smartphone amid these rising prices, or are you willing to hold onto your old one for a while longer? Tell us in the comments.