2026 Global Smartphone Market, Existing Retail Price Will Rise by Approximately 15%, Counterpoint Survey

Counterpoint Research announced on September 7th the results of a survey on existing smartphone retail prices in the 2026 global smartphone market.

Entering 2026, the retail price of existing smartphones in the global smartphone market will rise by about 15% on average. Prices for some models have nearly doubled, he said, as OEMs continue to pass on rising costs for memory and other components to consumer prices.

India saw the biggest price increases at 21%, followed by Asia Pacific at 19%, Middle East/Africa at 18% and Latin America at 16%. In markets with a high proportion of premium models, retail price increases were relatively slow: 10% in China, 7% in Europe, and 5% in the United States. In markets like the U.S., where many consumers use postpaid contracts and spread the cost of their devices over monthly payments, the impact of higher in-store prices is less likely to be felt immediately.

In addition to raising prices, OEMs have reduced storage capacity, simplified camera configurations, and re-introduced 4G models in some price ranges to keep costs down. Telecommunications carriers and retailers are using financing, trade-in programs and installment payments to ease the burden on consumers from rising prices.

The company expects prices for new smartphones to continue rising over the next few quarters. Apple continues to keep iPhone prices unchanged, and the upcoming iPhone 18 series is no exception, with memory shortages and high component costs expected to continue in the short term. While OEMs are prioritizing high-end models to protect profitability, we believe that in markets where consumers are price-sensitive, there will be moves to reduce price increases by reviewing specifications, adjusting storage capacity, and optimizing product portfolios.