The RAM and SSD price nightmare is here to stay for a while, and it is causing the most alarming problems already.
A reported memory supply crunch could reshape smartphone configurations as early as next year, with 16GB RAM phones expected to become far less common and budget models with 4GB RAM appearing more often.
According to the source, 16GB RAM handsets will soon become a luxury because of the limited memory supply.
The market has already seen some flagships launch at higher prices than their predecessors, and the report adds that Samsung plans to increase prices for its mid-range lineup in India.
The report also says higher prices will not be the go-to response in every region. In price-sensitive markets, manufacturers are expected to cut costs instead of raising prices. The source believes this will make 4GB RAM phones much more common, while 16GB devices become a rarity.
It also cites specific figures on how product mixes may shift. The source claims 12GB RAM variants will be reduced by 40%, with 6GB and 8GB phones taking their place.
The report ties these changes to growing demand from rapidly expanding AI datacenters, which are consuming more high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips and GDDR5 DRAM chips.
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