Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Due to soaring RAM prices, smartphones in 2026 are expected to be more expensive while featuring less RAM than 2025 models.
- High-end 16GB RAM models may nearly disappear, and 12GB and 8GB models could see massive reductions in availability as makers revert to 8GB and 4GB RAM, respectively.
- Phone makers are caught between pricing pressures and reduced availability of consumer-grade DRAM as RAM manufacturers prioritize HBM supply for enterprise customers.
2026 isn’t shaping up to be a good year to buy a new phone, or any new tech in general. We’ve heard reports that phones are about to become more expensive due to RAM inflation. Now, new reports suggest that phone specs could actually start going backwards because of RAM inflation.
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