Budget smartphone market collapses under the weight of memory shortages, sales expected to drop 22% — memory alone now comprises up to 64% of the total cost of lower-tier smartphones

Thanks, AI companies: Sub-$400 phones could see a huge decline due to RAM crisis

Could AI Memory Demand Wipe Out Budget Phones?

DRAM chip shortage from AI demand expected to raise smartphone prices by nearly 7% by 2026

DRAM chip shortages driven by AI data center demand are causing smartphone prices to rise. Low-end smartphones (under $200) have seen materi

How AI requirements are driving up the cost of budget smartphones

The article argues that the era of cheap smartphones is ending due to the demands of AI processing. It explains that AI features require sig

How AI demand is driving up smartphone prices and ending the era of cheap devices

The article argues that the era of cheap smartphones is ending due to the AI boom driving up memory and component costs. It traces the histo

Africa's smartphone market drops 12% in Q1 2026 as rising memory costs drive up prices

Africa's smartphone market declined 12% year-on-year in Q1 2026, driven by rising memory prices that increased device costs and limited entr