Google (find out more) Raises Pixel 10a Price to $599 Amid Memory Cost Surge
Google has raised the Pixel 10a price from $499 to $599, seven months after its launch. This change comes despite no hardware updates to the phone. The company attributes the price hike to rising memory costs, with its vice president, Shakil Barkat, citing a Morgan Stanley report that shows RAM prices increasing from $2.80 per gigabyte to $12.
The 128GB model now costs $599, while the 256GB version retails for $699, according to 9to5Google. These new prices are visible on the Google Store, Amazon, and Best Buy.
The Pixel 10a, which runs on the Tensor G4 chip, was launched in March with minimal upgrades from its predecessor, the Pixel 9a.
Apple and Samsung have also recently raised prices on their existing phones, following a global memory chip shortage that has impacted the entire industry. While Google has not confirmed European price adjustments, the trend suggests potential price increases for Pixel devices outside the US.
Currys, a UK-based retailer, stated in July that it expected phone prices to rise in the coming months, citing supply chain issues.
The memory chip shortage has significantly impacted Android budget phones, with DDR5 prices in Germany rising by 414% in one year. Google is also addressing the issue by reducing memory usage and optimizing Android to require less memory.
Darius Popa, a technology enthusiast and intern at The Next Web, concludes that a $599 Pixel with a two-year-old chip is a reflection of the industry's response to the same challenge.