Buying a new phone? Rising costs could stretch your budget this year

More than 80 mobile phone models, out of roughly 200 sold in India, have already seen average price increases of over 15 per cent. Manufacturers are planning a further average hike of over 15 per cent in the second quarter (Q2) of calendar year (CY) 2026, say analysts at Counterpoint Research. Successive price hikes, leaner specs, and fewer launches point to a demand slowdown.