Amazon hikes hardware prices by 60 percent, blaming memory shortage

🚨 Flash Sale 🚨 Get $100 off your Disrupt 2026 ticket Back by popular demand: Save up to $300 on Disrupt TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo LatestStartupsVentureAppleSecurityAIAppsDisrupt 2026 EventsPodcastsNewsletters SearchSubmit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest Over the weekend, Amazon significantly raised the prices of its hardware devices, jacking them up by as much as 60 percent in some cases. The price explosion impacted Fire TVs, Echos, Kindles, and Eeros. One egregious example that’s been cited is that of the Echo Dot, one of Amazon’s cheapest smart speakers, the price of which jumped 60% overnight, from $49.99 to $79.99. Price tracking sites like CamelCamelCamel show the stark uptick, which has previously hovered much lower. When reached for comment by TechCrunch, Amazon shared the following: “The consumer electronics industry is facing significant increases in memory and storage component costs. After absorbing these increases for as long as we could, we recently adjusted pricing across our product lines.” The company also said that it would continue to offer occasional promotions to customers over the course of the next year. Amazon’s price hikes reinforce the reality that it’s a terrible time to buy hardware. The global memory shortage fueled by the AI boom (also known as “RAMmageddon“) is driving up the cost of producing devices of all stripes. As a result, companies are increasingly passing on the costs to their customers. In a sign of the times, Apple recently hiked its prices, and has sought to offset the steep new rates by introducing a device leasing program, thus allowing users to pay off their devices over time. The RAM shortage is expected to continue throughout 2027 before prices potentially crest and stabilize in 2028. In less than 48 hours, your chance to save up to $300 on your tickets will end! Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. Amazon hikes hardware prices by 60 percent, blaming memory shortage Lucas Ropek 14 seconds ago Gadgets Linkdaze’s smart calendar is built to run a household, not just track a schedule Lauren Forristal 1 day ago Hardware Flock CEO calls for ‘compromise’ as surveillance company faces growing backlash Anthony Ha 1 day ago X LinkedIn Facebook Instagram youTube Mastodon Threads Bluesky TechCrunchStaffContact UsAdvertiseSite Map Terms of ServicePrivacy PolicyRSS Terms of UseCode of Conduct OpenAIHugging FaceFlockStartup BattlefieldDisrupt 2026Tech LayoffsChatGPT © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.