Smartphone price hike roundup: list of phones that cost more now, revised prices, and why

Smartphone prices are climbing across the board. Whether it’s last year’s models or newly launched devices, no brand has been spared. This is due to the strained supply of memory components, pushing up costs for manufacturers. As a result, almost every smartphone manufacturer, including Vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, Motorola, and Nothing, has been compelled to pass on these higher costs to consumers through price hikes.

Here’s a quick roundup of smartphones that have seen recent price hikes, along with a closer look at what’s driving the memory shortage in the market, whether there’s any way to avoid these increases, and if now is the right time to buy or wait.

Brand-wise list of smartphones that have received price hikes

The brand-wise lists below include both old and newly released smartphones. The list will be updated as soon as there’s a price update.

Samsung

OPPO

OnePlus

Realme

Vivo

Several Vivo smartphones across different segments and channels have seen price increases of at least Rs 1,000.

iQOO

iQOO was quick to revise the pricing of the newly released iQOO Z11x.

Motorola

Several high-selling Motorola phones under Rs 25,000 have witnessed a price hike.

Nothing

Nothing added the Phone (4a) Pro and Phone (4a) to its list of phones receiving price hikes as of May 1, 2026. The phones are now costlier up to Rs 5,000. Previously, the Phone (3a) Lite was the only model that saw a price hike, while the CMF Phone 2 Pro and Phone (3a) are either out of stock or selling in limited quantities on Flipkart.

Redmi

POCO

LAVA

Which price segment has been most affected due to the price hikes?

Upon glancing at the brand-wise tables above, it’s evident that phones originally launched between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000 have seen price hikes of up to Rs 5,000. In fact, Several new and even older smartphones in the Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 range from OPPO and Realme have seen a sharp price surge, including the OPPO Reno 14 series and Realme 16 Pro series.

On the contrary, high-end and premium smartphones above Rs 60,000 or so haven’t witnessed price jumps, yet. This is likely because the profit margins on premium phones are much wider, and brands are not currently forced to raise the prices immediately, especially since various premium smartphones introduced recently came with a huge price jump over their predecessors. Case in point, the iQOO 13 was launched at Rs 54,999 in late 2024, whereas the iQOO 15 debuted at Rs 72,999, a steep increase of Rs 18,000.

Coming back to the sub-Rs 30,000 segment, the memory shortage situation has worsened so much that even newly released phones are not spared from continuous price revisions. For instance, the Realme C83, launched at Rs 13,499 on March 6th, was bumped to Rs 14,499 just a few weeks after its launch. Currently, the phone is retailing for Rs 15,499, completely changing the phone’s value proposition.

Similarly, we lauded the iQOO Z11x (review) for offering the modest yet impressive MediaTek Dimensity 7400 for Rs 18,999, making it one of the best picks for users seeking smooth and reliable performance under Rs 20,000. But just a few days back, iQOO has revised its pricing to Rs 22,999, creating a price gap of over Rs 10,000 compared to its predecessor.

What’s causing smartphone brands to increase prices?

The AI boom: The primary reason smartphone brands are pushing for higher prices is due to the massive shortage of the standard memory used in smartphones. Memory and storage manufacturers like Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, and others are prioritising taking orders from companies operating in the AI data centre sector, such as OpenAI, NVIDIA, Google, and others. Since the demand for AI applications has boomed tremendously over the last few years, these companies are ready to strike huge deals with memory manufacturers in return for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM), which has taken up the majority of the production line.

This has resulted in reduced or halted supply of storage and memory components (LPDDR5X/LPDDR4X RAM and NAND) used in commercial products, such as smartphones and PCs, forcing brands to source these components at significantly higher prices.

As per Communications Today, memory prices have surged nearly 90 to 120 percent since late 2025. In budget phones, memory now accounts for up to 40 percent of the total manufacturing cost.

Should you buy a new smartphone now or wait?

With no sign of slowing down, smartphone prices are expected to rise continuously throughout 2026, per Counterpoint Research. As of March 2026, most of the smartphone brands operating in India have increased the prices of their smartphones across segments by an average of Rs 1,500. With this number expected to rise further, the phone you’ve been eyeing for a while may not offer the same value in the future, irrespective of the brand.

On the other hand, while smartphone brands have previously made price hike announcements in advance, we’ve seen sudden and silent price hikes on many phones recently. Therefore, one can’t anticipate when a price revision hits.

Furthermore, with most smartphones witnessing sharp price hikes across segments of up to Rs 5,000, even during major sales on Amazon and Flipkart, the amount you end up paying with discounts and bank offers may not be as appealing as it used to be before the memory price hike.

Tips to get the best deals on smartphones amid price hikes

Leverage bank offers: Before buying a new smartphone, especially from e-commerce platforms, make sure to take advantage of the available bank discounts. If you don’t happen to carry the said bank card, you can ask your friends or family members and get the card arranged to gain the maximum value out of your purchase.

Utilise exchange offers: Similarly, exchanging an old smartphone in return for a good price discount on the purchase of a new phone is an ideal way to offset the price hike. During seasonal and festive sales, both Amazon and Flipkart offer additional exchange bonuses, say around Rs 5,000 on top of the value being granted on an old smartphone.

Look for last-gen smartphones: If you’re seeking a high-end smartphone, consider last-generation releases in the upper midrange and high-end segments. For instance, the OnePlus 13, a full-blown flagship, is currently selling for Rs 62,999, and often comes to around Rs 55,000 during sales. For the said price, the device offers excellent value for all kinds of users.

Similarly, last year’s Vivo T4 Pro at Rs 27,999 on Flipkart is one of the few smartphones that features a telephoto lens, making it an ideal pick for photography hobbyists without shelling out much.