Rising Memory Costs Threaten Future Availability of Budget PCs and Smartphones

Rising memory and storage costs driven by AI data center demand are causing significant price increases in PCs and smartphones. Analysts from Gartner and IDC report that budget PCs under $500 and smartphones under ₹10,000 may disappear by 2028 and 2026 respectively, as manufacturers struggle with surging component prices. This trend is expected to reduce device shipments and delay upgrades, potentially impacting security and consumer options in low-cost segments.