Alliance Consulting: Mobile phone and laptop manufacturers will face memory price squeeze in 2026.

Research company TrendForce warns that smartphone and laptop manufacturers are facing pressure from rising memory prices once again. The company predicts that the cost of DRAM will significantly increase by early 2026, putting pressure on profit margins and forcing brands to reconsider pricing and product specifications. The company states that even Apple will not be immune. The rise in memory costs could potentially increase production costs for the upcoming iPhone, possibly limiting the price reductions usually offered by Apple for older models. The company adds that for budget and mid-range Android brands that use memory as a key selling point, they may have to raise prices and adjust product lifecycles to avoid more severe losses. Laptop manufacturers may be able to hold out in the short term, but will eventually need to shift towards lower specifications or higher prices. The company predicts that by the second quarter of 2026, laptops will undergo a phase of repricing.