AI memory demands squeeze India's Rs 15,000 phone segment, forcing tradeoffs on Samsung, Xiaomi buyers

Rising RAM and storage needs for on-device AI are pressuring the budget smartphone tier. Samsung and Xiaomi buyers in India's mass-market segment face dimmer screens, weaker cameras, or higher prices as makers reallocate the bill of materials toward AI capability.

— Filed Wed, 1 Jul, 2026, 08:05 IST · Source The Ken · Free list · Updated

AI's memory demands are squeezing the budget Rs 15,000 smartphone segment, forcing Samsung and Xiaomi buyers to accept dimmer screens, weaker cameras, and higher prices — a shift affecting India's mass-market electronics retail category.

Why this matters

Samsung is pushing AI across its India portfolio, from Micro RGB Vision AI TVs to the Galaxy Forever ownership model aimed at accessibility. Now AI cost pressure is reshaping its budget phone tradeoffs.

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