Now eats 60% of a sub-$400 handset's bill of materials and it's only getting worse
DRAM prices have been steadily increasing due to supply-demand imbalances and manufacturing complexities, now reaching a critical threshold for consumer electronics.
This directly impacts the affordability and accessibility of fundamental computing devices, potentially widening the digital divide and shifting market strategies of electronics manufacturers.
Cheap smartphones are becoming economically unviable, forcing manufacturers to either increase prices, reduce other component quality, or pull out of certain market segments.
- · DRAM manufacturers
- · High-end smartphone market
- · Refurbished phone market
- · Sub-$400 smartphone manufacturers
- · Emerging market consumers
- · Retailers of budget electronics
Rising smartphone costs will reduce adoption rates in cost-sensitive markets.
Manufacturers may explore alternative memory technologies or vertical integration to control component costs.
Increased focus on device longevity and repairability as new device acquisition becomes more expensive.
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