Why budget phones are disappearing just when they are needed most

Budget and midrange smartphones are losing ground as inflation and soaring component costs squeeze low-margin makers just when consumers need cheaper phones most. Apple and Samsung Electronics have raised prices on entry-level models, while manufacturers are shifting toward premium foldables and away from low-end devices. Consumers are increasingly turning to repairs and secondhand phones.

Apple raised the price of its entry-level iPhone 17e by 16.1 percent on Thursday, from 990,000 won to 1.15 million won.

Samsung Electronics raised the price of its Galaxy A37 in Korea to 598,400 won, up 19.8 percent from last year’s A36.

IDC projected on Aug. 26 that memory shortages would push average smartphone selling prices up 27.6 percent this year while shipments would fall 16.7 percent.

Published Sep 15, 2026 5:37 pm KST

Reporters and visitors gather outside Chinese tech company Xiaomi’s first official physical store in Korea, temporarily open at the IFC Mall in Yeouido, Seoul, June 25, 2025. Korea Times photo by Kim Jin-ook

Inflation has thinned consumers’ wallets, yet budget and midrange smartphones are losing ground just when buyers need affordable options most.

Soaring component costs, particularly for memory chips, are making it harder for manufacturers to sustain a low-margin, high-volume business model. As manufacturers focus on expanding their premium foldable phone lineups, consumers are increasingly turning to repairs and secondhand devices.

Apple’s entry-level iPhone 17e. Its price rose from 990,000 won ($726) to 1.15 million won Thursday. Captured from Apple webpage

iPhone 17e surpasses 1 million won

Rising prices for budget and midrange smartphones are putting further pressure on consumers.

According to smartphone industry observers Monday, Apple raised the price of its entry-level iPhone 17e, released in March, by 16.1 percent on Thursday, from 990,000 won ($726) to 1.15 million won. The company repriced the existing model as it launched its new iPhone 18 series at substantially higher prices amid so-called “chipflation” driven by global chip shortages.

Samsung Electronics has also raised prices for its entry-level Galaxy A series. The Galaxy A37, released in Korea in June, costs 598,400 won, up 19.8 percent from last year’s A36.

Budget and midrange phones are losing ground as rising prices squeeze their particularly price-sensitive buyers. In an Aug. 26 forecast, market research firm IDC projected that memory shortages would push the average selling price of smartphones up 27.6 percent this year, while shipments would fall 16.7 percent.

“Android players focused on low-end devices, which were already operating on razor-thin margins, are cutting low-end models and pushing a higher-end product mix,” IDC said.

Chinese manufacturers of low-end smartphones are bearing the brunt of the downturn. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, Xiaomi’s smartphone shipments fell 26 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, while Vivo’s dropped 21 percent over the same period.

Manufacturers bet on foldables as consumers turn to repairs

Faced with a shrinking market, manufacturers are looking to foldable smartphones to reverse their fortunes. IDC described foldables as the market’s only hope, projecting growth of 12.6 percent this year.

More manufacturers are shifting their attention to premium lineups, where demand is less sensitive to price increases. Apple and Huawei have joined the race to develop passport-style foldable phones alongside Samsung Electronics. Vivo, Oppo and Motorola are also expected to enter the fray. Huawei recently released a successor to its first tri-fold phone, unveiled in 2024.

The repair and secondhand markets are also expected to grow as consumers seek more affordable options. That demand is helping cushion the impact of weaker handset sales on display shipments, as more people choose to repair broken screens rather than buy new phones.

Market research firm TrendForce forecast on Aug. 31 that global smartphone panel shipments would decline just 2.5 percent this year.

“Sustained demand from the secondary and repair markets is supporting stronger-than-expected smartphone panel demand,” the firm said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

由于通货膨胀和零部件成本飙升，低利润率的制造商利润空间受到挤压，而消费者却最需要价格更低的手机，因此中低端智能手机的市场份额正在萎缩。苹果和三星电子提高了入门级机型的价格，而制造商们则将重心转向高端折叠屏手机，减少对低端设备的投入。消费者越来越多地选择维修或购买二手手机。

苹果公司周四将入门级 iPhone 17e 的价格提高了 16.1%，从 99 万韩元涨至 115 万韩元。

三星电子将韩国 Galaxy A37 的售价上调至 598,400 韩元，比去年的 A36 上涨了 19.8%。

IDC 于 8 月 26 日预测，内存短缺将导致今年智能手机平均售价上涨 27.6%，而出货量将下降 16.7%。

发布于2026年9月15日下午5:37（韩国标准时间）

2025年6月25日，记者和游客聚集在位于首尔汝矣岛IFC购物中心的中国科技公司小米在韩国的首家官方实体店外，该店为临时营业。（韩国时报 金镇旭摄）

通货膨胀让消费者的钱包变瘪，然而，就在消费者最需要价格实惠的选择时，中低端智能手机却在市场份额上节节败退。

零部件成本飙升，尤其是内存芯片的成本，使得制造商难以维持低利润、高销量的商业模式。随着制造商将重心转向扩大其高端折叠屏手机产品线，消费者越来越多地转向维修和购买二手设备。

苹果入门级iPhone 17e。其价格周四从99万韩元（约合726美元）上涨至115万韩元。图片来自苹果官网

iPhone 17e 销量突破 100 万韩元

低端和中端智能手机价格上涨，给消费者带来了更大的压力。

据智能手机行业观察人士周一透露，苹果公司于周四将今年3月发布的入门级iPhone 17e的价格上调了16.1%，从99万韩元（约合726美元）涨至115万韩元。该公司此次调整现有机型价格，是因为其在新iPhone 18系列发布之际，大幅提高了价格。新iPhone 18系列的定价受到全球芯片短缺引发的所谓“芯片通胀”的影响。

三星电子也提高了入门级Galaxy A系列的价格。6月份在韩国发布的Galaxy A37售价为598,400韩元，比去年的A36上涨了19.8%。

由于价格上涨，中低端手机的市场份额正在萎缩，尤其受到价格敏感型消费者的青睐。市场研究公司IDC在8月26日发布的预测中指出，内存短缺将导致今年智能手机的平均售价上涨27.6%，而出货量将下降16.7%。

IDC表示：“专注于低端设备的安卓厂商，原本利润就非常微薄，现在正在削减低端机型，转而推出更高端的产品组合。”

中国低端智能手机制造商首当其冲地受到此次经济衰退的冲击。市场研究公司Counterpoint Research的数据显示，小米第二季度智能手机出货量同比下降26%，vivo同期出货量同比下降21%。

随着消费者转向维修，制造商押注折叠式产品

面对市场萎缩，制造商们正寄希望于可折叠智能手机来扭转颓势。IDC 将可折叠手机视为市场的唯一希望，并预测其今年的增长率将达到 12.6%。

越来越多的厂商正将目光转向高端产品线，因为这类产品的需求对价格上涨的敏感度较低。苹果和华为已加入三星电子的行列，竞相研发类似护照式折叠屏手机。vivo、OPPO 和摩托罗拉预计也将加入这场竞争。华为近期发布了其首款三折叠屏手机的继任者，预计将于 2024 年上市。

随着消费者寻求更经济实惠的选择，维修和二手市场预计也将增长。这种需求有助于缓解手机销量疲软对屏幕出货量的影响，因为越来越多的人选择维修破损的屏幕而不是购买新手机。

市场研究公司 TrendForce 于 8 月 31 日预测，今年全球智能手机面板出货量将仅下降 2.5%。

该公司表示：“来自二手市场和维修市场的持续需求支撑了智能手机面板需求强于预期。”

本文来自《韩国日报》（《韩国时报》的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。