If you’ve been planning to buy a new smartphone, laptop or television, it may be wise to act sooner rather than later. Prices of consumer electronics are
expected to rise further in the coming weeks, with industry executives warning of additional hikes of 4–8% over the next two months, following steep increases already seen at the end of 2025. The primary driver behind the surge is a sharp escalation in memory chip prices, as global demand rises due to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Market experts say the pressure on manufacturers is intensifying, making further price increases difficult to avoid. According to Counterpoint Research, the global memory market has entered a “hyper-bull” phase. After prices jumped nearly 50% in the previous quarter, another 40–50% increase is expected in the current quarter, followed by an additional 20% rise between April and June. Some smartphone brands have already begun passing on higher costs to consumers. Vivo and Nothing have reportedly raised handset prices by Rs 3,000– Rs 5,000 in January, while other brands are cutting back on cashbacks and festive discounts instead of hiking sticker prices directly. Analysts caution that memory prices could remain elevated throughout 2026 and even into next year. To manage costs, manufacturers may also resort to “shrinkflation”, trimming specifications such as display quality or other components. Supply constraints are adding to the problem. Several smartphone and television makers say access to memory chips has become a major bottleneck. Super Plastronics, which sells TVs under brands such as Kodak, Thomson and Blaupunkt, said it is currently able to source only about 10% of its memory chip requirements. The company raised prices by 7% in November, followed by another 10% in January, with a further 4% hike planned for February. Discounts during upcoming Republic Day sales are expected to be among the lowest in recent years. Retailers say the impact is already visible. Laptop prices have risen 5–8%, and large television brands have informed dealers of more hikes ahead. Industry bodies estimate that smartphone prices jumped 3–21% during November and December, and cumulative increases could reach 30% in the coming months. The All India Mobile Retailers Association warns that the price shock could significantly dent demand. Smartphone shipments in 2026 are projected to fall 10–12%, with the sub- Rs 20,000 segment—India’s largest volume category—likely to be hit the hardest as consumers delay purchases. Adding to manufacturers’ woes is a weaker rupee against the US dollar, which has increased import costs. The scale of the memory price surge is also evident in server-grade components, with prices of 4GB RDIMM memory more than doubling in recent quarters and expected to climb further by March 2026. Overall, analysts now see a sharper slowdown in India’s electronics market than previously anticipated, as rising component costs continue to push device prices higher.
