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Nothing co-founder says phones with impressive specs are unlikely to be affordable this year ahead of the possible Phone 4a series launch.
Nothing Phone 4a series to cost more for buyers?
Nothing has confirmed our worst fears. Its phones launching this year are going to cost more and chances are you might not be excited by their features. Nothing chief Carl Pei shared a word of caution for buyers who should not be expecting products to launch with specs-heavy details and a nominal price tag.
All of this has become evident with the 2026 launches till date and it seems the trend is set to prolong at least for the next 12 to 24 months in the market. We know that RAM prices have a lot to do with these changes but the actual impact on the products is slowly making people realise.
Next Phone To Cost More
Pei has shared the details and somewhat a look into the future by explaining the current situation and how the market is unlikely to offset the changes. “Memory costs have already increased by up to 3x, with further rises expected as unprecedented demand continues to swallow available supply,” he said in the post. Pei also estimated that memory modules cost could exceed $100 by the end of 2026, which was around $20 a year ago.
And after sharing these numbers, he raises the big question. Do brands increase the prices of their products or keep it the same with the use of a downgraded hardware. “The “more specs for less money” model that many value brands were built on is no longer sustainable in 2026,” he added.
He also warned buyers that the days of specs war is over and they will need to temper their expectations with regards to the next smartphone purchase and how much they pay for it. This means the days of ‘affordable flagship’ phones could be a thing of the past.
All these details also seems like a precursor to Pei teasing the prospect of the Phone 4a series likely to be an underwhelming upgrade on the Phone 3a series from last year. And he also mentioned that the budget and mid-range segment will gradually shrink as the year goes on.
Delhi, India, India
January 19, 2026, 14:29 IST
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