The RAM shortage has hit Android phones just like other major consumer electronics segments, and while increased costs are being passed on to the consumer, smartphone brands are looking at cheaper cameras as a way of lowering those production costs. This could in turn, help lower the prices of smartphones for consumers in the future.
It’s worth noting that this is still just a rumor, with no brands having confirmed that this will be a method of cutting costs in the overall production. However, it makes total sense. With RAM and storage prices shooting up for manufacturers, an easy way to lower those production costs is by using less expensive components in other areas. In this case, it’s said to be cameras.
Smartphone manufacturers are turning to cheaper cameras as a way to cut costs
According to posts on Weibo from Fixed Focus Digital (via Wccftech), some smartphone brands have determined that camera sensors are a viable option for lowering the cost of production on newer phones. This is apparently because the demand for high-end camera sensors in phones is decreasing. What’s more, it’s said that there isn’t a big difference in image quality. So it’s not worth it to these companies to spend more for the high-end sensor when the quality is marginally better and the demand isn’t there from users.
Again, this is just a rumor with no official evidence that it’s accurate. However, it’s not an unreasonable explanation for a solution. Digital photography has come quite a long way. And when you look at Google’s Pixel camera sensors, this becomes apparent. Pixel phones don’t necessarily have the best cameras, but they’re quite high up on the list. A lot of that is due to the photography algorithms. Fixed Focus Digital notes that smartphone companies are considering hiring people to improve these algorithms. In hopes that any improvements can close that gap between the cheaper and more high-end sensors. If this is indeed what some manufacturers are doing, hopefully prices change soon.
