The global memory crisis driven by the AI boom is reshaping the smartphone market. According to insiders and analysts at TrendForce, manufacturers are set to radically revise device configurations in 2026. High-end models with 16 GB of RAM will become rare, while mass-market smartphones with just 4–6 GB of memory will return. The goal is to offset the rising cost of components.

Why Memory Is Getting More Expensive — and How This Affects Smartphones

Since early 2025, prices for DRAM and NAND have risen by tens of percent. Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron have redirected manufacturing capacity toward HBM for AI accelerators. Contract prices continue to climb, and this is already affecting finished products: flagship smartphones in some regions are now 33 percent more expensive than their previous generations.

Manufacturers are responding by reducing RAM capacities:

  • models with 12 GB of RAM will shrink by around 40 percent;
  • 8 GB configurations will be cut roughly in half;
  • 16 GB variants will almost disappear from the mass market, remaining only in niche gaming or professional devices;
  • in their place, 4–6 GB configurations will return, even in relatively new product lines.

Insiders on Naver note that this trend will be especially pronounced in price-sensitive markets, such as Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe, where buyers prioritize price-to-performance ratios.

Not Just Smartphones: The Crisis Hits Everything

TrendForce reports that Dell and Lenovo have already warned partners of 15–20 percent price increases for PCs. Smartphones are hit even harder within this supply chain: margins are thinner and competition is fiercer. As a result, even flagship models may launch with “cut-down” memory configurations to keep prices in check.

What This Means for Buyers

If you are planning an upgrade in 2026, be prepared: you will either get less RAM for the same money or pay significantly more for the same configuration. Budget and midrange devices will revert to 4–6 GB of memory, while 16 GB configurations will become a premium-only feature.

In Brief

The memory crisis will force smartphone makers in 2026 to sharply reduce 12–16 GB RAM models (by 40–50 percent), replacing them with 4–6–8 GB options even in new lineups. Flagships will become tens of percent more expensive, while the mass market will return to minimal configurations. If you want a powerful smartphone with plenty of memory, 2025 may be the best time to buy while the choice is still wide.