Higher smartphone prices are on the horizon due to RAM costs

Smartphone prices in 2026 are going to increase as prices surge for RAM, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research. This is an outcome that was probably inevitable. While companies could eat the cost to avoid raising prices on consumers, that isn’t really a viable option when the goal is to make money as a business.

In addition to that, increased RAM prices have already led to higher prices for several other types of products. More expensive GPUs, higher prices on RAM kits, laptops and desktops, you name it. All of these have gone up in price because the RAM shortage has left manufacturers with fewer options and constricted supply, and that has made the supply that’s left cost a little more.

As the bill of materials goes up for manufacturers, those same manufacturers are bumping up the price on the products that those materials are for. With regard to smartphones, we’ve already seen this happen on some devices. The Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, for example, both go on sale today, and they cost a little more compared to last year’s Galaxy S25 series. The only one that didn’t go up in price was the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung has not confirmed that the higher RAM prices are the reason for these price increases, but it is the most logical explanation. As Samsung’s phone prices have gone up, other brands are sure to follow.

Smartphone prices in 2026 are expected to increase by as much as $200

It’s worth noting that this isn’t a guaranteed figure for phones, and it all depends on not only the manufacturer but also the category of the phone. Counterpoint’s findings expect that low-end phones could go up in price by about $30. High-end flagships, meanwhile, could see prices that go up by as much as $150 to $200.

As noted, this has already happened with the Galaxy S26 series. The Galaxy S26 is $40 more this year, while the Galaxy S26 Plus has gone up by $100 compared to last year. Counterpoint isn’t guaranteeing that prices are going to rise, but it does note that it seems unavoidable. Brands will want to recoup the money that was necessary to acquire more expensive materials. The easiest way to do that is to pass the cost to the consumer. This could also lead to decreased sales of smartphones in 2026.