Investigation: Mobile Phone Price Hike Wave - Honor and OPPO Lead with Price Increases Starting from 300 Yuan, Xiaomi and Huawei Have Not Followed Suit Yet, Budget Phones Accelerating Exit

(Source: Blue Whale News)

Due to factors like rising memory chip prices, the previously anticipated “mobile phone price hike wave” is now unfolding. Blue Whale News reporters visited several offline stores and learned that brands such as Honor, OPPO, and vivo have already completed price adjustments, with overall increases ranging from 300 to 500 yuan. Some Xiaomi and Huawei models have not yet followed suit.

Honor, OPPO Lead Price Increases

Most increases are between 300 and 500 yuan

On Saturday, March 21, many consumers visited offline stores to buy phones. At an Honor store, a salesperson was explaining the device configurations to a customer. When discussing prices, he said, “This Honor 500 Standard Edition just had a price adjustment. You can check out the Honor 500 Pro, which hasn’t increased in price yet and offers better value.”

Honor 500 Standard Edition after price increase Blue Whale News photo

From the salesperson, Blue Whale News learned that most Honor models have increased in price. For example, the Honor 500 Standard Edition, originally priced at 2,999 yuan (12GB+512GB), is now 3,299 yuan. The Honor X70 (12GB+256GB), originally 1,799 yuan, is now 2,099 yuan. Most price hikes are around 300 yuan.

Honor X70 after price increase Blue Whale News photo

In addition to Honor, at an OPPO offline store, a salesperson confirmed that some models have recently been price-adjusted, with different series experiencing different increases.

The salesperson explained that this round of price adjustments mainly affected the OnePlus series, A series, and K series. Regarding specific increases, he said that different storage versions saw different hikes. For example, the OnePlus series generally increased by 300 yuan, and the K series by 500 yuan, with increases roughly between 300 and 500 yuan.

For consumers looking to buy now, the salesperson recommended prioritizing series that haven’t yet increased in price. Currently, the Reno series and X9 series have not followed the price hike.

Besides Honor and OPPO, stores of vivo, Samsung, and others have also completed price adjustments, with increases mostly between 10% and 30%. Some popular models have seen more significant price jumps.

Many Stores Face Supply Shortages

Xiaomi and Huawei Have Not Yet Increased Prices

In addition to offline stores, several brands announced online price hikes.

OPPO’s official flagship store stated that starting March 16, 2026, OPPO will adjust prices for the A series, K series, and some OnePlus models. The Find series, Reno series, and OPPO Pad series are not included.

The main reason for this adjustment is the rising cost of core components, leading to higher retail prices for some products. Specific adjustment amounts vary, depending on model, configuration, and regional subsidies.

Honor’s flagship store said that recently, due to ongoing global supply chain cost increases, they have adjusted prices for some models. Honor aims to continue providing the best experience and value. Thanks for your attention.

Notably, prices are rising, and supply is becoming tight.

At another Honor store, a salesperson told Blue Whale News that only a few models, such as Magic8 and 500 Pro, have not yet increased in price. The newly released Honor Magic V6, with the same memory configuration, is now 1,000 yuan more expensive than the previous generation. However, stock is running out. Besides phones, tablets have also increased in price. Now, not only are prices rising, but supply is also very tight.

The salesperson explained, “For example, the newly released Honor Magic V6, with the same memory, costs 1,000 yuan more than the previous generation. But there’s almost no stock of the 16GB+512GB version in Shanghai, only a handful, and they are all bundle sets with a 900 yuan gift box.”

He attributed the reason to upstream supply chain issues, saying production capacity is gradually recovering at factories.

Another store salesperson told reporters that some models are “selling one, missing one,” indicating tight stock. It’s not easy for consumers to get a device immediately.

Although many brands are raising prices, reporters found that Huawei and Xiaomi have not yet followed suit. Store staff said they have not received any official notice of price increases from the brands.

Huawei Store Blue Whale News photo

Prices Influenced by Storage Chips

Manufacturers Adjust Strategies, Entry-Level Phones Disappear Faster

The direct cause of this round of price hikes is the surge in storage chip prices.

According to data released by the Price Monitoring Center of the National Development and Reform Commission on February 28, as of January 2026, the prices of the two main global storage chips, DRAM (memory) and NAND flash, reached their highest levels since 2016. Research firm TrendForce noted that, for example, the contract price for 8GB+256GB storage in the first quarter of 2026 is estimated to have increased nearly 200% compared to the same period in 2025.

Industry experts generally believe that the current widespread price increases are not due to brands intentionally raising prices. Under the backdrop of exploding AI computing power demand, giants like Samsung and SK Hynix are prioritizing capacity for higher-margin AI storage, actively reducing capacity for mobile phone memory. Mobile manufacturers find it difficult to absorb the rising costs alone, making price hikes an unavoidable choice.

In this context, mobile brands are adjusting their sales strategies.

Blue Whale News’ offline visits revealed that models priced below 1,000 yuan, or just over that, are now hard to find, and some models are about to exit the market. The market is rapidly polarizing: flagship phones are becoming more expensive, with entry-level prices rising above 1,500 yuan. The era of sub-1,000-yuan phones is gradually ending, and future smartphones may trend toward “high-spec, high-price.”