Smartphones in China are becoming more expensive again, this time with manufacturers blaming memory shortages rather than market demand. Since September 1, Huawei, Xiaomi and Honor have increased the prices of many models, by 1,000 yuan (about 13,000 rubles) in some areas.
For Huawei, this price increase affects the Mate 80 series: the basic version will increase in price by 800 yuan, and the Pro version will increase in price by 1,000 yuan. Xiaomi has adjusted the prices of individual mobile phones in the Mi 17, Redmi K90, and Turbo series. Honor has also increased the prices of some Power and Magic series devices. Prior to this, Oppo and Vivo had already raised prices in China.
The main reason is memory. The demand for AI servers is driving the production capacity of HBM’s artificial intelligence systems. Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron allocate up to 70-90% of advanced capabilities to it, which is why traditional DRAM and NAND are becoming scarce. According to Blue Whale News, in the first half of 2026, DRAM contract prices increased by 340% compared with the same period last year, and NAND contract prices increased by 320% compared with the same period last year. Amid weak demand in China, manufacturers are forced to choose between price and profit. Huawei and Xiaomi have already warned about such a situation: Yu Chengdong talked about the risk of selling at a loss, and Lu Weibing also admitted that some flagships may exceed 10,000 yuan.
