While jokes about rising RAM prices circulate online, the reality of the ongoing memory supply shortage is a serious concern for smartphone manufacturers and consumers alike. Industry insiders suggest that 16GB RAM smartphones may become increasingly rare by next year, with budget models featuring just 4GB RAM making a comeback.
Flagship smartphones have already seen price increases compared to previous generations, and Samsung is reportedly planning to raise prices on its mid-range lineup in India.
However, price hikes are not a viable solution for all markets. In price-sensitive regions, manufacturers are expected to reduce costs instead of increasing prices. As a result, 4GB RAM phones could become more common, while devices with 16GB RAM will likely be limited in availability.
Some specific projections indicate a 40% reduction in 12GB RAM smartphone production, with 6GB and 8GB models filling the gap.
This shift is driven primarily by escalating demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and GDDR5 DRAM chips, fueled by the rapid growth of AI data centers.
Source
