Xiaomi is currently acting as a vanguard for the ongoing smartphone retail price inflation by reportedly hiking the launch price of its upcoming Xiaomi 17 Ultra by around 10 percent. What's more, Samsung and Apple are likely to pursue a similar strategy in the face of the global DRAM supercycle, with the former tipped to have already decided upon a 10 percent price hike for its upcoming Galaxy S26 series, the Z Fold 8, and the Z Flip 8.
Xiaomi, Samsung, and Apple are all eyeing significant price hikes for their upcoming smartphones in the wake of the ongoing DRAM supercycle
The ongoing AI-driven DRAM supercycle is a reality. And, almost all major smartphone OEMs are responding in a predictable fashion to this inflationary impulse: by hiking the retail prices of their smartphones to preserve margins.
As per the reporting by a South Korean publication, Xiaomi is all set to unveil its new flagship, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, at 19:00 (local time in China) on December 25. What's more, the smartphone will reportedly start retailing at 6,999 yuan ($996), which represents a 10 percent price hike relative to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which had started retailing from 6,499 yuan. Additionally, the new flagship's global shipping prices will be around 10 percent higher still relative to the launch price in China.
Moreover, according to the publication, Samsung and Apple are also mulling material price hikes for their next year's smartphone lineups, with the South Korean behemoth reportedly having already formalized price increases of around 10 percent for its Galaxy S26 series, the Z Fold 8, and the Z Flip 8.
This comes as Lu Weibing, the President of Xiaomi Group, recently announced that the smartphone manufacturer has managed to secure adequate memory chip supplies for 2026 by entering into a dedicated contract, likely with China's YMTC.
We had noted at the time that the cost of securing a guaranteed supply of memory chips would be steep, with Xiaomi likely forced to implement a sharp increase in the retail prices of its products. That prediction is now panning out with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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