The smartphone industry is facing dual challenges that could lead to higher device prices in the coming years. While the market suffers from an ongoing RAM crisis, new reports indicate that the cost of OLED screens produced by Samsung may see an additional increase in 2027, placing new pressure on both manufacturers and consumers.
Rising OLED Screen Costs
According to sources from Chinese supply chains (ChannelGate), Samsung plans to raise the price of OLED panels by between $10 and $20 per panel by 2027. This increase is not solely due to cost pressures, but also serves as a strategy by Samsung to "regain control" over panel pricing in a market that sources currently describe as "chaotic." The well-known leaker (Digital Chat Station) also noted that the shortage of OLED integrated circuits (OLED IC) will reinforce this upward trend in prices.
The Memory and Artificial Intelligence Crisis
The challenges are not limited to screens; forecasts suggest that the RAM crisis may continue until 2029 or 2030. The primary reason for this shortage is the increasing demand for the infrastructure required to run Artificial Intelligence technologies, which has already prompted major companies like Google and Samsung to raise the prices of their devices, while other manufacturers have been forced to make compromises in technical specifications to avoid raising final prices.
What Does This Mean for Users?
This combination of rising costs for essential components (screens and memory) will leave original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with difficult choices: either raise the prices of final smartphones or reduce technical specifications to maintain current pricing. Since Samsung supplies its screens to a wide range of manufacturers of mid-range and high-end phones, the impact will not be limited to Samsung devices alone, but will extend to a broad segment of the market. This trend may push consumers to consider purchasing used or refurbished phones as an alternative to avoid the high costs of new devices, such as the expected Galaxy S27 series.