Surging memory chip prices dim outlook for consumer electronics makers
Price increases are expected to persist, possibly into the next year
GLOBAL demand for smartphones, personal computers and gaming consoles is expected to shrink this year as companies from Britain’s Raspberry Pi to HP raise sticker prices to offset surging memory chip costs.
The rapid build-out of artificial intelligence infrastructure by US tech firms such as OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google and Microsoft has absorbed much of the world’s memory chip supply, which has lifted prices as manufacturers prioritise components for higher-margin data centers over consumer devices.
South Korea’s Samsung and SK Hynix, and Micron, the world’s three largest producers of memory chips, have all said that they were struggling to keep up with demand that boosted their quarterly earnings.
“Rising (memory) pricing is a dynamic we continue to watch closely, especially relative to the client market, and could limit our revenue opportunity this year,” Intel CFO David Zinsner said on Thursday (Jan 22), referring to the company’s personal computer chip business.
Research firms IDC and Counterpoint both now expect global smartphone sales to shrink at least 2 per cent this year, in a sharp reversal from their growth outlook a few months ago. That would mark the first annual decline in shipments since 2023.
The PC market is expected to shrink at least 4.9 per cent in 2026, IDC estimated, after an 8.1 per cent growth last year. Meanwhile, console sales are expected to fall 4.4 per cent in the current year after an estimated growth of 5.8 per cent in 2025, according to TrendForce.
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Tough choice for manufacturers
While several firms have already raised prices, industry heavyweights Apple and Dell face a tough choice: take on the costs and sacrifice margins or pass them onto consumers at the risk of stifling demand.
“Manufacturers might absorb some costs but given the scale of the shortage, it is certainly going to show up as higher prices for consumers,” Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne said.
“It is going to result in more tepid consumer device sales in 2026. It will be a challenge for these companies that are trying to sell products during a time of broader inflation.”
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Intel CEO Tan Lip-Bu said that while larger device manufacturers could get their hands on more memory chips from their suppliers, smaller businesses were scrambling. “They are missing the memory, they cannot complete the products,” he said during a post-earnings call on Thursday.
The chipmaker forecast quarterly revenue and profit below market estimates, sending shares down 13 per cent in after-hours trading. Rival PC processor provider AMD’s shares also fell 1.2 per cent.
Analysts believe the impact is likely to be most pronounced for manufacturers of low- and mid-range devices, such as Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi and TCL Technology and PC firm Lenovo.
Pressure is being compounded by expectations that the price increases will persist, possibly into next year. Counterpoint estimates that memory prices will jump 40 per cent to 50 per cent in the first quarter, after last year’s 50 per cent surge.
“Over the last two quarters, we’ve seen 1,000 per cent price inflation in some products and pricing is continuing to rise,” said Tobey Gonnerman, president of semiconductor distributor Fusion Worldwide.
“Consumers can expect to pay significantly higher prices for laptops, mobile phones, wearables and gaming devices very soon.” TrendForce said last year that Dell and Lenovo were planning price hikes of as much as 20 per cent early in 2026.
Shares of Raspberry Pi, Xiaomi, Dell, HP Inc and Lenovo all fell in the last three months of 2025, with Xiaomi posting the biggest drop with a 27.2 per cent decline.
HP CEO Enrique Lores said in November the company would raise PC prices due to “significant” memory chip costs, while Raspberry Pi CEO called the cost surge “painful” in a December blog post announcing price increases for its devices.
The weaker demand outlook could also hamper sales at electronics-focused retailers such as Best Buy, which had already warned last year that tariff-driven price increases could dissuade potential buyers.
Apple will report earnings on Jan 29, while Dell is slated to report on Feb 26. Xiaomi usually reports in late March.
Apple’s market power
Some analysts said Apple, with its scale, pricing power and deep supplier network, is better positioned to weather the memory chip price surge than its smaller rivals. The company typically holds prices of its flagship iPhone lineup in the US steady between its September launch events.
Last year, it absorbed the hundreds of millions of dollars in tariff-related costs, instead of passing them on to customers. “Apple is better-positioned, as it uses contract pricing (rather than more volatile spot pricing) for its purchases, securing better prices,” Morningstar analyst William Kerwin said.
“But it isn’t immune, and may need to raise prices to pass on higher input costs.” REUTERS
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