[News] Chinese Smartphone Price Hikes Begin; OPPO Adjusts From Mar. 16, Reportedly Up to ¥500

With component costs continuing to rise, the smartphone industry is experiencing a broad wave of price adjustments in 2026, and Chinese brands are no exception. According to ijiwei, citing Yicai, OPPO and OnePlus have announced price adjustments, stating that starting March 16 they will revise prices for the OPPO A series, K series, and certain OnePlus devices.

Sources also note that brands such as vivo and Honor are preparing to introduce price increases in mid-to-late March. Industry observers indicate that, under mounting cost pressures, the smartphone market in 2026 may see multiple rounds of price adjustments.

Jiemian News notes that price increases for OnePlus, a sub-brand of OPPO, are expected to range from 300 to 500 yuan, with the OnePlus Ace6 series seeing a 500-yuan increase. Regarding how the adjustments may be implemented, ijiwei notes that vivo is unlikely to announce price increases publicly. Instead, local distributors are expected to adjust retail prices based on internal notices.

China’s Smartphone Price Hikes Diverge Across Market Segments

Notably, amid rising memory and component costs, mid-to-low-end devices are expected to be hit the hardest, as these models already operate on thin profit margins and are highly sensitive to cost fluctuations. Some smartphones priced around 1,000 yuan have even fallen into negative gross margins, according to ijiwei.

Regarding price adjustments across different segments, ijiwei notes that the scale of increases varies between mid-to-low-end models and flagship devices. Supply chain sources say the starting prices of several upcoming smartphones are generally expected to rise by 600–1,000 yuan, while mid-to-high-end flagship models could see increases of 2,000–3,000 yuan. Even some older models currently on sale may also see price adjustments.

Meanwhile, Jiemian News notes that several brands recorded unusual growth in the mid-to-low-end segment during the Spring Festival period.  The report indicates that such growth appears inconsistent with current cost pressures on low-end devices, suggesting that some distributors may have stockpiled inventory in advance in anticipation of upcoming price increases.

From a broader market perspective, TrendForce notes that surging memory prices are expected to significantly raise smartphone production costs in 2026. As a result, global smartphone output is projected to decline at least 10% YoY to around 1.135 billion units. Smartphone brands may face a difficult choice between raising prices to preserve margins or lowering specifications to sustain shipment volumes, with the entry-level segment expected to bear the brunt of the impact.

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(Photo credit: OPPO)