Global RAM Shortage Forces Google to Raise Prices on Pixel 11 Series
A severe global memory shortage, driven by the redirection of chip production toward high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers, has forced Google to raise prices on its Pixel 11 smartphone lineup. The shortage is affecting consumer electronics makers worldwide as AI infrastructure demand competes with traditional device manufacturing for limited supply.
Google raised prices on its Pixel 11 smartphone series in July 2026, citing a global shortage of RAM driven by the AI industry's demand for high-bandwidth memory.
Chip manufacturers have redirected significant production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI data centers, squeezing supply for the standard DRAM used in consumer devices. The shift has pushed up memory prices across the electronics industry.
Google confirmed the price increases in a statement, saying the company had no choice but to pass along higher component costs. The Pixel 11 lineup had been expected to hold prices steady from the previous generation.
Other consumer electronics makers are facing similar pressures. Analysts expect price increases to spread across smartphones, laptops, and other devices that rely on DRAM in the coming months.
The shortage is partly driven by Chinese memory manufacturer CXMT, which has gained significant market share in standard DRAM while global capacity for HBM remains concentrated among a small number of producers including Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.
AI data center operators have been willing to pay premium prices for HBM, making it more profitable for manufacturers to prioritize that product over standard memory. The imbalance is expected to persist through at least 2027, according to industry analysts.
The memory crunch adds to a broader set of supply chain pressures facing the consumer electronics industry, which is also dealing with higher energy costs and ongoing trade restrictions on semiconductor equipment.
