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If you’re a regular 9to5Google reader,you probably already know the turbulence happening inside the consumer electronics space. We’re all collectively looking down the barrel of significantly higher prices across the board, primarily – though not exclusively – thanks to increased component demand from AI companies. Put simply, buying a smartphone in 2026 is about to suck, but with a little bit of planning, you aren’t completely out of hope.
It’s not just RAM and storage drive shortages that are resulting in higher prices for the bulk of electronics – that’s just the latest piece of this inflationary puzzle. As AI companies continue to build out their data centers, tariffs continue to present a problem for practically anything not built entirely within the US using US-made parts. Even with a looming Supreme Court decision that could roll back the bulk of last year’s Liberation Day policies, corporations like Amazon are publicly signaling that lingering stock of currently-unaffected products is starting to dwindle, meaning we could see brands like Nothing begin to adjust pricing relatively soon.
As a consumer,you have no actual control over anything I just described,outside of simply opting out of making any kind of purchase. But living without a smartphone in our modern age is, depending on where you live, a pretty impractical challenge. Whether you’re due for a long-awaited upgrade or your current device met an untimely fate from a bad drop, a lot of people are going to need – not wont, but need - to buy a new phone this year. While trying to wait out any potential temporary price hikes would be my main piece of advice (and I do hope they’re just temporary), it’s simply not going to be an option for everyone.
Image Source: 9to5Google
