News & Reviews:   hike

Like the other tech brands, Lenovo has warned its channel partners that prices for select commercial devices could rise in early March 2026 as global memory chip shortages continue to squeeze margins across the technology industry. The pricing update is expected to affect a range of products from Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group (IDG) portfolio, which includes commercial laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones.

The rapid rise in memory chip prices is starting to shake up more than just smartphone and PC markets; it’s now affecting gaming handheld consoles as well. Manufacturers in this niche segment are beginning to feel the strain of “skyrocketing” RAM costs, a situation that has already led to shipment delays and configuration changes for upcoming handheld devices.

Industry research firm Counterpoint Research has revised its outlook for the global smartphone market, now projecting a slight contraction in shipments in 2026. The adjustment is largely due to a sharp rise in memory chip prices, especially for DRAM (RAM) used in smartphones, as supply tightens against booming demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centres and other high-end computing sectors.

As Sony faces financial pressure from US tariffs on Chinese-made goods, the company is reportedly contemplating a price increase for its PlayStation 5 (PS5) consoles in the United States. The 90-day suspension period for the new tariffs is coming to an end, making consumers and industry stakeholders closely monitor Sony's decisions.

During Disney's financial report in the first quarter of 2025, it was announced that the company had lost 700,000 Disney+ subscribers around the world before the end of last year. The price hike for the platform last year may have contributed to the result.

Today, Netflix has announced that all of its subscription plans (Student, Basic, Standard, and Premium) prices have increased. It is effective starting today (14 November) and will be implemented for Astro customers as well.