Smartphones to Cost More in 2026: Nothing CEO Carl Pei Warns of Price Hikes

• Nothing CEO Carl Pei warns that smartphone prices will increase significantly in 2026 due to rising memory component costs.
• The global spike in NAND and DRAM memory prices, driven by demand from AI data centers, is the primary cause.
• Pei states Nothing will raise prices by up to 30% rather than compromise on specifications, confirming new models for Q1 2026.
• Samsung's Won-Jin Lee and Counterpoint analysts corroborate the warning, citing worsening memory chip shortages.
• AI data centers are prioritizing chipmakers, leading to a supply crunch for smartphone manufacturers and potential 40% memory price hikes.

Why It Matters: Rising memory costs due to AI demand will make smartphones significantly more expensive in 2026.