ISLAMABAD – Imagine walking into any phone shop in 2026, and ready to buy your next smartphone, only to find price tag much higher than you expected. Experts warn that next year could be a rough ride for tech lovers.
If you were planning to buy new smartphone next year, you might want to think twice. Experts warn that 2026 could be the worst year yet for affordable smartphones.
As per available information, price of RAM, the very heart of your phone, is skyrocketing. Recent months have seen dramatic spikes, and this trend is set to hit your wallet hard in the coming year.
Initially, analysts predicted boom in smartphone sales in 2026, but the outlook has taken a shocking turn as the market is now expected to shrink by 2.1%. And that’s not all, memory chip prices could soar up to 40% in just one quarter.
In 2025, RAM rates had already surged 8–25%, and manufacturers might now slash production, leaving fewer devices on store shelves. Smaller companies will feel the pinch more than giants like Apple, potentially forcing them to cut corners on features.
Some phones may come with downgraded cameras, weaker displays, reduced audio quality, and less memory. Analysts predict that the average smartphone could get 7% more expensive next year, making that shiny new device even harder to justify.
