OnePlus, OPPO, Samsung raise smartphone prices as India's market slows down

OnePlus has raised prices for the fifth time in nine months, while Samsung has made its ninth price revision in eight months. OPPO has also increased prices across new models

Smartphone buyers in India are facing another round of price increases, with OnePlus, OPPO and Samsung raising prices across several models as manufacturers contend with higher memory and component costs and a slowdown in the domestic market.

 

The latest revisions show that the pressure is not limited to a single brand or price segment. OnePlus has raised prices for the fifth time in nine months, while Samsung has made its ninth price revision in eight months. OPPO has also increased prices across several Reno and A-series smartphones.

 

The latest increases range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, depending on the smartphone and variant, adding to the pressure on consumers at a time when smartphone shipments in India are declining and average selling prices are rising.

 

 

Faisal Kawoosa, chief analyst at Techarc, said smartphone brands were already streamlining their portfolios as higher costs made it harder to maintain a large number of models and configurations.

 

OnePlus raises prices for the fifth time

 

OnePlus has increased prices of several smartphones for the fifth time since December 2025. According to a report by Mint, the latest revision was communicated to the company’s retail distribution partners on August 17 and came into effect on August 18.

 

Since December 19, 2025, OnePlus has increased prices on eight models in its portfolio, with revisions ranging from 5 per cent to 26 per cent, according to the report.

 

The repeated price revisions come as OnePlus faces pressure in India’s smartphone market. The company has traditionally relied on the mid-range and upper-mid-range segments, where consumers are more sensitive to price changes than buyers of premium smartphones.

 

Responding to Mint’s questions about the repeated price increases, a OnePlus India spokesperson said: “We periodically review our product portfolio and pricing, based on various market and business considerations.”

 

Rising prices reshape online and offline sales

 

The increase in smartphone prices is also changing the importance of distribution channels. Kawoosa said brands were being forced to balance online platforms, which provide scale and price-led purchasing, with offline retail, where consumers can receive guidance before making a purchase.

 

“Brands are also facing an online-offline distribution dilemma, with offline retail gaining importance amid rising prices, while online channels continue to offer affordability and scale,” he said.

 

“There is a need for strong advocacy,” he said, adding that balancing the two channels would be challenging this year.

 

While the industry is looking at price revision as natural, OnePlus move has put it into conflict with the organised mobile retail industry body – All India Mobile Retailers Association (Aimra), which has criticised the company’s retail strategy.

 

Kailash Lakhyani, founding chairman of Aimra, said OnePlus had halted general-trade operations in April 2026, affecting more than 50,000 retailers that sourced its smartphones through regional distributors.

 

Aimra has sought government intervention over what it described as unfair trade practices and concerns around OnePlus’ retail strategy.

 

The dispute comes as brands increasingly rely on different channels to manage pricing, inventory and consumer demand. With online discounts becoming less effective as margins narrow, physical retail could play a greater role in selling higher-priced smartphones and explaining financing options to consumers. 

 

OPPO increases prices across Reno and A series

 

OPPO has also raised prices across several smartphones, with the latest increases taking effect on August 18.

 

The Reno 16 recorded the largest increase among the models cited, with prices rising by Rs 5,000. The 8GB + 256GB variant is now priced at Rs 66,999, compared with Rs 61,999 earlier. The 12GB + 256GB model now costs Rs 72,999, up from Rs 67,999.

 

Prices of the Reno 16c, A6s 5G, A6x 5G and K13 Turbo Pro have also been revised.

 

The increases cover both mid-range and higher-priced models, indicating that the cost pressure is spreading across OPPO’s portfolio rather than being confined to a particular category.

 

Samsung makes ninth price revision in eight months

 

Samsung has also raised prices of smartphones in its Galaxy M and F series for the ninth time in eight months, according to SamMobile.

 

The latest revision affects the Galaxy M17, M17E, F17 and F70E.

 

The Galaxy M17 4GB + 128GB is now priced at Rs 18,999, up from Rs 17,999. The Galaxy F17 6GB + 128GB costs Rs 22,999, compared with Rs 21,999 earlier.

 

The 4GB + 128GB variants of the Galaxy F70E and M17E now start at Rs 17,499, against Rs 16,499 previously.

 

Actual selling prices can vary between online platforms and offline retailers, with some listings continuing to show older prices as retailers clear existing inventory. 

 

Samsung has more room to absorb higher costs

 

The ability of brands to pass higher component costs on to consumers will depend partly on their position in the market and the strength of their portfolios.

 

Asked how much room brands such as OnePlus, OPPO and Samsung have to increase prices before consumers begin delaying upgrades, Kawoosa said Samsung could be better positioned to absorb higher costs.

 

He attributed this to Samsung’s brand recall, resale value and financing options.

 

Consumers may be more willing to pay a premium for Samsung smartphones if they expect stronger resale value, while longer EMI tenures can reduce the immediate financial burden of buying a higher-priced device.

 

This gives brands with established premium portfolios more flexibility than manufacturers that depend heavily on price-sensitive buyers.

 

Memory costs add to pressure on smartphone prices

 

The latest price increases are linked to a broader rise in the cost and limited availability of memory components. Several industry reports have indicated that memory chip prices have increased sharply over the past year, while other components and raw materials have also become more expensive.

 

Smartphones use significant quantities of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and NAND flash storage. At the same time, demand for memory has increased as artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centres expand.

 

Smartphone manufacturers are therefore competing for memory components with data-centre and AI infrastructure companies, which have a higher capacity to absorb increased component prices.

 

The resulting supply and cost pressure leaves manufacturers with two choices: absorb higher costs and accept lower margins, or pass some of the increase on to consumers.

 

For brands operating in price-sensitive segments, the second option carries the risk of weakening demand.

 

Smartphone market slowdown adds to the challenge

 

The price increases come as India’s smartphone market is already contracting. Smartphone shipments declined by about 10-11 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of calendar year 2026, reflecting pressure from higher prices, weaker affordability and rising component costs.

 

The combination of falling shipments and rising prices is creating a difficult market for manufacturers. Brands need to maintain margins while keeping devices affordable enough for consumers to continue upgrading.

 

The pressure could become more significant during the festive season, when smartphone brands and retailers traditionally rely on discounts and promotions to stimulate demand. With component costs remaining elevated, manufacturers may have less room to offer the price cuts that have traditionally driven festive sales.

 

For consumers, this means the cost of upgrading to a new smartphone could remain higher through the second half of 2026, while brands increasingly rely on financing, channel strategy and product differentiation to sustain demand.