Cairo, Egypt – 2026 is expected to witness a new wave of consecutive price hikes in electronic devices, from mobile phones and laptops to tablets and smart components. This phenomenon is no longer linked to a single factor, but rather to a complex set of economic, political, and technological reasons.
Market experts attribute this rise to continued pressure on global supply chains, despite a less severe shipping crisis compared to previous years. Transportation and energy costs remain high, directly impacting the final production cost of electronic devices.
The prices of semiconductors have also played a pivotal role in the crisis, with the surge in global demand for semiconductors used in artificial intelligence and electric vehicles. This has led to a significant diversion of production to these sectors at the expense of consumer electronics, driving up prices due to limited supply.
Another contributing factor is the escalating geopolitical tensions in several regions, particularly between major economic powers. These tensions have led to trade restrictions and additional tariffs, prompting global companies to reprice their products to offset potential losses and risks.
Conversely, technological advancements themselves have also contributed to price increases. Companies are increasingly offering more advanced features in phones and computers, such as integrated artificial intelligence, higher-resolution screens, and more powerful processors. This drives up manufacturing costs and translates into higher prices for consumers.
The impact of currency exchange rates, especially in emerging markets, cannot be ignored. The depreciation of local currencies against the dollar leads to a significant increase in the prices of imported devices, thus doubling the burden on the end consumer.
Analysts confirm that electronics prices will not see a decrease in the near future in 2026, given the continued presence of these factors. They anticipate that some companies will resort to reducing profit margins or offering less expensive models to mitigate the crisis, without this affecting the base prices of higher-end products.
Between rising costs and the complexities of the global market, the consumer remains the most affected party, in an equation that is imposing a new reality on the electronics market in the coming year.
