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Another major smartphone maker has announced AI-induced price hikes
- OPPO has announced that it will increase prices on its phones, as well as OnePlus devices, on March 16.
- The hikes are precipitated by increased cost for components driven by the AI industry.
- OPPO’s Find and Reno phones are not currently affected.
OPPO and OnePlus phones are getting more expensive because of AI. OPPO’s announced that starting next week, the price of several of its budget phones, as well as OnePlus devices, will increase in price, citing the increased component costs driven by aggressive AI infrastructure construction.
Gizmochina reports that OPPO has announced price adjustments for some of its products, set to take place on Monday, March 16. OPPO’s announcement includes existing devices, including its A-series and K-series phones. The changes won’t affect OPPO’s Find and Reno phones, nor OPPO Pad tablets, but will apply to unspecified OnePlus devices.
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These price changes are specific to the Chinese market and largely apply to OPPO’s more budget-friendly devices, but it’s possible OnePlus phones available in the US will eventually see price increases as well.
The cost of memory components has increased significantly in recent months as AI firms have snapped up large quantities of RAM and storage for the data centers that power cloud-based AI applications. As demand for these components has increased faster than supply, companies are competing to outbid each other for what’s available. For manufacturers of consumer electronics like phones, tablets, and gaming handhelds, this has made for higher material costs, which are inevitably passed on to consumers.
Budget devices tend to be sold on slimmer margins than more premium options, making for less wiggle room when it comes to absorbing higher material costs in inexpensive offerings like those in OPPO’s A series.
OPPO isn’t the only phone manufacturer jacking up prices amid the ongoing memory crunch. The Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26+ are both $100 more expensive to start than their S25 equivalents. The S26 Ultra, meanwhile, managed to retain the same $1,300 starting price as the S25 Ultra.
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