If you are planning to buy a new smartphone this month, then there is going to be a little burden on your pocket. In the month of April, almost all the big mobile brands have increased the prices of their phones. Due to reduction in global supply and increase in operational expenses, companies have been forced to increase prices. The situation has become such that instead of buying new phones, people are now turning towards old or refurbished phones. Let’s see which brands have increased their prices, by how much, and what are the real reasons behind these price increases.
Increase in prices of brands like Samsung and Oppo
According to the All India Mobile Retail Association (AIMRA) and individual dealers, almost all the big companies have either increased their prices or reduced the discounts they offer.
Samsung has made a huge increase in prices ranging from 3% to 22%.
Oppo and Poco phones have also become expensive, whose prices have increased by 6% to 18%.
Xiaomi has increased its prices by 3% to 15%.
The prices of Realme phones have seen an increase of 3% to 12%.
The price of Nothing Phone has increased by 13–14%.
Motorola has increased prices by 4% to 9%.
Vivo is also preparing to increase its prices from April 15.
It is a matter of relief that OnePlus has not made any change in its prices at present.
Apple cuts discounts
Although Apple has not directly increased the prices of phones, it has drastically reduced the discounts and offers available to customers. The company has withdrawn the discount of ₹ 5,000 previously given on iPhone 15 and 16 series. Additionally, the cashback available on non-EMI purchases of iPhone 17 has dropped from ₹6,000 to just ₹1,000. As a result, it’s now more expensive to buy an iPhone than ever before, even though there has been no formal price increase.
Why are mobile phones becoming expensive?
Companies say that there are several big reasons behind this trend:
Due to the increasing popularity of AI, the demand for chips has increased, due to which the cost of mobile components has increased.
The cost of parts imported from abroad has increased due to the weakening of the rupee against the dollar. The prices of raw materials such as plastics and memory components have also increased significantly.
Due to tensions in the Gulf region, the cost of shipping and insurance has increased, which has directly resulted in increase in the prices of mobile phones.
Decline in demand for mobiles due to rising prices of phones
The direct effect of rising phone prices can be clearly seen in the market. Dealers say that mobile sales have declined by about 30% in the month of March. Now customers are either postponing their plans to buy a new phone, or are looking for ‘second-hand’ and ‘refurbished’ smartphones to stay within their budget.