GoKawiil
Tech News
Rising memory chip costs have driven an estimated 20 percent increase in smartphone prices this year, prompting consumers to keep devices longer or buy refurbished units. Despite this shift toward longer phone lifespans, companies like Apple and Samsung continue charging $89 to $229 for out-of-warranty battery replacements, with extended warranty plans being the main way to get cheaper service.
Jon Peddie Research found standalone GPU shipments rose 12.2% quarter over quarter and 14.1% year over year in Q2, even as the broader client CPU market shrank 1.1% annually and desktop PC demand softened. Total consumer PC GPU shipments, including integrated graphics, hit 75.5 million units, with notebook GPU shipments up 16.8% while desktop GPU shipments dropped 4%. Intel led the overall GPU market with 56% share from integrated graphics, followed by Nvidia at 23% and AMD at 21%.
Politico sources report the Trump administration is drafting another round of tariffs on semiconductors, aiming to push chipmakers toward US-based production. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly favors letting companies import chips duty-free up to a threshold linked to their domestic investment, though the exact terms remain unsettled. The move would layer new costs onto PCs, consoles and data centers already strained by memory shortages.