Emir BardakçıIf you were planning on picking up a 1TB storage behemoth smartphone this year, you may want to reassess your budget or your expectations. A new leak from reputable leaker Digital Chat Station reveals that the days of affordable, high-capacity flagship smartphones are about to hit a huge roadblock due to skyrocketing costs.
Apparently, due to rising costs of storage, manufacturers are having to make some tough calls, and these calls are affecting popular models such as the $350 mid-range segment (approx. 2,500 CNY) and flagship models such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It seems like the “Golden Age” of affordable storage is behind us, and manufacturers are now quietly working to ensure their profit margins remain intact.
TL;DR
- 1TB Models Canceled: Manufacturers are canceling orders for 1TB chips, and some unreleased 1TB smartphone variants have been completely cut from production.
- Price Hikes: The “first-launch” price discounts on Snapdragon 8 Elite models are being removed, and prices are now quietly being raised.
- The New Standard: 512GB is now becoming the standard order volume, although the price difference between 256GB and 512GB models has now risen to around $55-$70 (400-500 CNY).
- Mid-Range Squeeze: The most affected are budget-friendly flagships, where storage upgrades have now become significantly more expensive.
The “Silent” Price Correction
We have noticed an alarming trend with the latest wave of flagship devices featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Traditionally, manufacturers try to boost the initial sales with aggressive “first-sale” discount strategies. However, Digital Chat Station points out that this is now being reversed earlier than expected. The prices of these new flagship devices are now increasing to their standard higher prices. If you have missed the initial sale of the latest flagship devices, like the China-exclusive REDMI K90 Pro Max, which is launched to make its way to the global market as the POCO F8 Ultra, you will now have to pay a premium for the same device just a few weeks later.
Why Are 1TB Phones Disappearing?
The most alarming news is the discontinuation of 1TB Storage. If we look at the market in 2024, having 1TB as an option seemed like the new normal. However, the latest leak indicates that the shipments of 1TB variants are extremely low. The manufacturers have now started to reduce orders on existing 1TB variants that are currently on the market. The worst part is that some unreleased variants that were expected to feature the 1TB option have now had their orders canceled. It seems like the industry is betting on users choosing the 512GB variant, which is currently the dominant variant. However, that comes with a price: the price difference between the 256GB and 512GB variants is now $55-$70.
What’s Next?
If you spot a great deal on a 512GB or 1TB phone right now, grab it. We believe the data shows prices are going one way, and that’s up. We predict the POCO and Xiaomi Series launches later this year will reflect the limited storage options, likely promoting cloud storage as the answer to the problem.
