New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- A global chip shortage driven by the AI infrastructure boom could make your next smartphone more expensive. Brands like OnePlus, Nothing, Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo, and Motorola have raised prices by Rs.500 to Rs.5,000 across their mid-range models this year so far. The same phones now cost more despite identical specifications, according to Beebom's India smartphone price-hike tracker.

The AI boom has driven up demand for processors and memory chips, and as supply chains realign to meet this demand, memory prices have already risen 4x and could climb to 5x in the near term, according to Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research, adding that costs aren't coming down anytime soon, not even during the festive...