Samsung and Google raise prices on their budget phones

Samsung and Google are raising the starting price of their budget phones, likely due to the RAM crisis that no tech company seems to be able to escape. The Pixel 10a now costs $100 more, according to 9to5Googlewhile Android Authority writes that Samsung has raised prices across its entire Galaxy A lineup, the second price hike the company has made this week.

As part of the price increases, the Galaxy A17 5G went from $200 to $270 (the phone already received a price hike in August), the Galaxy A27 5G went from $350 to $380, the Galaxy A37 5G went from $450 to $490, and the Galaxy A57 5G went from $550 to $600. In total, Samsung’s A-series phones cost between $30 and $70 more than before.

Google started selling the Pixel 10a for $499 in March, but with the $100 increase it will now cost $599. This price is still the cheapest for a Pixel, but not quite the same price as before. Mobile syrup writes that the changes are even more extreme in Canada, where the phone launched for $679 and now costs $849.

It would be one thing if these were temporary changes, but it’s very likely that the next version of these budget phones will launch at a similarly inflated price. Indeed, the best-case scenario is that the RAM shortage improves within a year thanks to an increase in Chinese RAM production. The most pessimistic outlook is that we will face higher RAM prices through 2030. For anyone considering an affordable phone, buying more and more used seems like the only option.