The memes about RAM prices are funny and all, but the consequences of the memory supply crunch are anything but. Word on the street is that 16GB RAM phones will become extinct next year and we will see the return of budget phones with 4GB RAM.
We’ve already seen some flagships with hiked prices compared to their predecessors, and we are now hearing that Samsung plans to bump up the prices of its mid-range lineup in India.
However, raising prices is not a universal fix. In price-sensitive markets, smartphone manufacturers will choose to cut costs instead of going up the price ladder. The source believes we will start seeing 4 GB RAM phones far more often, while 16 GB devices will become a rarity.
There are even some figures thrown around. For instance, 12GB RAM units will be reduced by 40% and 6GB/8GB phones will take their place.
That’s the direct effect of the ever-growing demand for high-bandwidth memory chips (HBM) and GDDR5 DRAM chips by the rapidly developing AI datacenters.