{"slug": "nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-can-now-account-for", "title": "Nothing CEO says phone prices will “keep going up” as memory can now account for more than 50% of costs", "summary": "Nothing CEO Carl Pei warned that smartphone prices will keep rising through 2026 as memory costs now account for more than 50% of hardware expenses, driven by AI demand and supply shortages. Pei revealed memory prices doubled during development of Nothing's Phone (4a) and have since doubled again, making RAM and storage more expensive than processors and displays.", "body_md": "👋\nNewsletters\nSubscribe to our newsletters\nSign up for our free, weekly newsletter!\nSubscribe\nBy signing up, you acknowledge our\nprivacy policy\nand may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.\nLeave this field empty if you're human:\nPC Guide\nSearch\nComputing\nGaming PC\nTablet PC\nLaptop\nDesktop Computer\nComponents\nGPU\nCPU\nMotherboard\nRAM\nPC Case\nCooling\nPower Supplies (PSU)\nHDD\nSSD\nNetworking & Peripherals\nRouter\nModem\nNAS\nWiFi\nComputer Chair\nMonitor\nKeyboard\nMouse\nComputer Microphone\nHeadset\nComputer Desk\nWebcam\nElectronics\nConsole\nFitness & Tech\nRaspberry Pi\n3D Printer\nTV\nProjector\nVR\nSmart Home\nPrinter\nSoftware\nMicrosoft Office\nWindows 10\nWindows 11\nAndroid\niOS\nApps\nSoftware Downloads\nInternet Safety\nFlight Simulator\nAI\nGuides\nHow To\nCompare\nFAQs\nFeatured\nReview\nNews\nDeals\nSpring Sale\nTools\n\n```\nHome > News \n\nNothing CEO says phone prices will “keep going up” as memory can now account for more than 50% of costs\n\n                            Phone manufacturers are spending more on RAM than displays                    \n\nAbdul Haddi\n\n \n\nLast Updated on June 15, 2026  \n\n        PC Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More\n\nTable of Contents \n\nNothing Phone pricing changed due to memory costs\n\nIf you’ve been thinking about upgrading your smartphone, you may want to do so sooner rather than later. According to Nothing CEO (and OnePlus co-founder) Carl Pei, phone prices are expected to keep increasing throughout the rest of 2026 and could continue climbing into next year as manufacturers struggle with rising memory costs.\nThe warning comes as the global memory shortage continues to impact the technology industry. While processors and displays have traditionally been among the most expensive parts inside a smartphone, that is no longer the case. Memory has now become one of the biggest cost factors for phone makers, forcing many companies to adjust their pricing strategies.\n\nSign up for our free, weekly newsletter!\n\nSubscribe\n\nBy signing up, you acknowledge our privacy policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Leave this field empty if you’re human: \n\nNothing Phone pricing changed due to memory costs\nPei recently revealed that the cost of memory for Nothing’s Phone (4a) changed dramatically during development. According to him, memory prices doubled between the time the company began working on the device and its launch. Since then, those costs have reportedly doubled again, creating even more pressure on manufacturers.\nEven Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A27 (a much more budget-oriented phone) is also said to be more expensive than the A26 that came before it. Nothing released its (4a) and (4a) Pro phones in March this year – its next release isn’t expected to be a phone at all, but rather, the Nothing Ear (3a) earbuds.\nThe main issue is that RAM and storage components are becoming increasingly expensive due to limited supply and growing demand. The rapid expansion of AI technologies has created massive demand for memory chips, with data centers and AI hardware manufacturers competing for the same supply used by smartphone companies.\nAs a result, RAM and storage can now account for more than half of a smartphone’s hardware cost. In some cases, memory is reportedly more expensive than the processor and display combined, which is a major shift compared to previous years.\n\nMemory is now the most expensive component in a smartphone. It's more expensive than the processor, more expensive than the display, and can account for more than 50% of the total hardware bill.For Phone (4a), memory costs doubled between when we decided to build the device and… https://t.co/4dJdSDwd6T— Carl Pei (@getpeid) June 12, 2026\n\nThe situation has become difficult for phone makers because they are no longer able to simply order as many memory chips as they need. Supply is often allocated through quotas, and manufacturers must pay whatever the current market price happens to be.\nConsumers have already started seeing the effects. Several smartphones launched in recent months have arrived with higher price tags than their predecessors. In many cases, new models cost around $100 more than the devices they replace.\nThe shortage could also affect upcoming sales events. According to Pei, customers should not expect the same level of discounts that have been common in previous years. With manufacturers paying significantly more for components, there is less room for aggressive promotions and price cuts.\n\n    254Would you buy a bare bones Steam Machine?Would you buy a variant of the Steam Machine with no RAM and/or no SSD and install them separately to help save on costs?     No, I want the Steam Machine to be complete     Yes, I would buy a RAM-less version     Yes, I would buy an SSD-less version     I'd buy a bare bones version with neither component         \n\nAbout the Author\n\nAbdul Haddi\n\n \n\nAbdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.\n\nLoad More\n\nYou can trust PC Guide\n\nOur team of experts use a combination of independent consumer research, in-depth testing where appropriate - which will be flagged as such, and market analysis when recommending products, software and services. Find out how we test here.\n\n Follow us\n\nTable of Contents \nNothing Phone pricing changed due to memory costs \n\nRelated Articles\n\n \n\nSihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 Review: C300 to C300 Pro V2, what $100 extra gets you\n\nLast Updated May 11, 2026· by Charlie Noon\n\n \n\nFanatical’s massive Platinum Collection bundle lets you save 88% on 24 Steam Deck-compatible games\n\nLast Updated Jun 15, 2026· by Abdul Haddi\n\n \n\nOneXPlayer launches X2 Mini Pro OLED handheld for high-end market, starting at more than $2,000\n\nLast Updated Jun 15, 2026· by Abdul Haddi\n\n \n\nSteamOS support for Intel hardware means you can now install it on an MSI Claw or Arc B580 desktop\n\nLast Updated Jun 15, 2026· by Jack Goodall\n\n \n\nToday’s Wordle answer, hints and clues on June 16 (#1823)\n\nLast Updated Jun 15, 2026· by Jack Goodall\n\nAbout Us\nContact\nEarnings Disclaimer\nPrivacy Policy\nSitemap\n \n\nOur Sites:\n\nBlack Friday TV Deals\nPC Builder\nMovies Like\n \n\nCopyright © 2026 PC Guide. All rights reserved.\n\n​\n```\n\n", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-can-now-account-for", "canonical_source": "https://www.pcguide.com/news/nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-costs-can-now-account-for-more-than-50/", "published_at": "2026-06-15 20:00:17+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-15 20:03:22.260615+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-infrastructure", "ai-chips"], "entities": ["Nothing", "Carl Pei", "OnePlus", "Samsung", "Galaxy A27", "Nothing Phone (4a)", "Nothing Ear (3a)"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-can-now-account-for", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-can-now-account-for.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-can-now-account-for.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nothing-ceo-says-phone-prices-will-keep-going-up-as-memory-can-now-account-for.jsonld"}}