Budget smartphones are in trouble

Smartphone prices, especially for budget phones like the Samsung Galaxy A36, are feeling the crunch as chip and memory shortages continue. Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto via Getty Images Makers of budget smartphones face painful cost pressures. Memory and storage chip costs have spiked during the AI boom, impacting companies' bill of materials — and consumer prices. Analysis from global tech research firm Omdia predicts a 22% decline in the sub-$400 phone market this year. The market for budget sma...