Young people are more willing to buy the old flagship version of the phone. Manufacturers say that in order to maintain profits for the phone, prices need to be increased or features need to be reduced.

In early 2026, a chain reaction triggered by the increase in memory prices is spreading from the upstream supply chain to mobile phone stores in several counties in Hunan. Some industry insiders even told reporters that this is a "price surge unseen in fifteen years", with the prices of some DDR5 memories increasing by more than 455%. Reporters learned from several mobile phone brands that in order to maintain profits, manufacturers can only choose between raising prices and reducing configurations. Many mid-range models released during the 2026 Spring Festival have generally increased by 200 to 400 yuan in starting price. Under the dual squeeze of price increases and reduced configurations, instead of spending 2000 yuan on a "watered-down" new thousand-yuan model due to cost limitations, it is better to use the same amount of money to buy an old flagship model released two years ago. A mobile phone store owner told reporters, "Now many young people come in and ask if there are flagship models from two years ago. They calculate it very clearly, for the same price, the new mid-range model provides a plastic frame and a scanning-level camera, while the old flagship model has a metal body and true optical zoom."