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The 2026 smartphone price hike, AI tax | Redmi Note 15 & Redmi Pad 2 Pro full review | Tech Today
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00:00If you're planning to upgrade your smartphones or buy a new gadget in 2026, I have some very
00:21bad news for you. These devices will get more expensive in the months to come and most of
00:26the culprits for this are big tech AI companies. But how does that dynamic really work is what
00:33we will talk about on the show this week. And while prices are about to rise, I have some
00:38very budget-friendly goodies from Redmi's shelf which you will know more about on the
00:44show this week. I'm Cyrus and you are watching the Tech Today show. Let's kick things off with
00:49the top tech headlines of the week.
00:57YouTube is handing more power to parents to curb teen-toon scrolling. A new update allows
01:02guardians to set a short feed limit which can restrict scrolling to a specific time or even
01:08block it entirely during study hours. The feature launching this week aims to tackle mindless
01:14swiping and promote mindful viewing among young Indian users.
01:23Elon Musk's ex has restricted its AI crock from creating bikini edits of real people
01:29following global backlash over non-consensual deepfakes. While real-world images are now
01:35geo-blocked for such edits, Musk clarified that NSFW content involving imaginary AI characters
01:42is still permitted. The move comes as several countries including Indonesia and Malaysia suspended the tool.
01:53Space travel is getting a luxurious upgrade. California-based startup GRU Space,
01:59backed by Nvidia and SpaceX, plans to open the first hotel on the moon by 2032.
02:04If you have a crore to spare, you can secure a spot with a million dollar deposit,
02:10though the final room price is expected to exceed 80 crores per night.
02:20Google is supercharging Gemini with a new personal intelligence feature.
02:23This opt-in beta allows the AI to scan your Gmail, photos and YouTube history to offer proactive advice
02:30like reminding you of a car's tire size from an old email or suggesting a travel itinerary based on
02:37your past vacation photos. It's a major step towards making AI a truly personal digital partner.
02:50And finally, it's the end of the road for ChatGPT on WhatsApp. As of January 15th,
02:55OpenAI has officially deactivated the service following Meta's new policy banning general-purpose AI bots.
03:02Users in India are being urged to link their accounts to the official ChatGPT app
03:07to save their chat history before it's permanently deleted from the messaging platform.
03:20Now imagine, a few years ago, buying a smartphone felt like a routine. You went online, went to a store,
03:27checked out the offers, maybe stressed your budget a little bit and then walked out a satisfied customer.
03:32But in 2026, the same becomes heavier on the wallet. The 10,000 rupee phone, that range kind of
03:39creeps into the 15,000 category, then the 18,000 ones become more around 20,000 rupees. So,
03:45the bottom line is your phones are going to get more expensive in 2026. Now, I know you're asking whether
03:52this is inflation, whether the global tariff market is just inflating, and whether the smartphone makers
03:58are getting too greedy over here. The thing is, the answer to this is more hardware related,
04:04and I'll explain how this is affecting the smartphone prices.
04:07Industry research shows that smartphone prices are expected to rise by about seven percent in 2026
04:21compared to 2025. More than flashy features, this shift is being driven by something far more basic
04:31and far more invisible. A global shortage of memory chips is pushing up component costs across the
04:42industry. According to CounterPoint research, this shortage is being fueled by rising demand by AI
04:49companies to run their massive servers and data centers where high-performance DRAM is being prioritized
04:55over consumer devices. In simple terms, the same chips that make your phone fast are now far more valuable
05:07somewhere else. The graph clearly shows that memory prices have already surged. DRAM and NAND flash climbed
05:1740% or more in late 2025, with analysts expecting further increases into early 2026.
05:25For context, these are chips that decide how smoothly apps run, how quickly AI features respond,
05:34and how long a phone feels new. So when memory becomes scarce, the impact comes out of the factories
05:42and shows up directly in the price you pay.
05:47We are not seeing any signs of awaiting of memory prices in 2026, and that might go
05:52into 2027 as well. So one that is leaning is most of your flagships are getting expensive.
05:58So there is a gap between the mid-tier, entry mid-tier and the flagship that is happening right now.
06:02In fact, all the new launches have been on an average were expensive by almost like 10 to 15,200,
06:09150 to 200 dollars as compared to their previous generation, and most of it is due to the memory price high.
06:16Smartphones today are packed with advanced camera systems, custom processors, complex cooling
06:27structures, premium materials and displays that rival standalone monitors. Each of these upgrades
06:33adds cost. And it's a technical fact, memory chips often account for around 12 to 16% of a smartphone's
06:40total bill of materials. When memory costs spike, the total expense rises and manufacturers face a
06:46choice. Absorb the cost or pass it on to consumers. Industry leaders are calling it out. In a recent
06:54article on X, Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing, explained why 2026 will be an unprecedented year for consumer
07:02electronics and the smartphone industry in particular. In India, analysts estimate that rising
07:09memory prices could push up manufacturing costs by 8 to 15% per device in 2026, especially affecting
07:17entry in mid-range models. But to find the real culprit, you have to look past the smartphone in
07:24your hand and towards these massive buildings, these servers that are powering the internet. Now in 2026,
07:32the biggest threat to your wallet is the global silicon tax. You did not even know that you were
07:39paying. AI systems built by companies like Google, Microsoft and Nvidia rely on high performance DRAM
07:51and high bandwidth memory to run massive trading and inference workload efficiently. AI data centers
07:58operate large clusters of GPUs and specialized AI accelerators, each with hundreds of gigabytes of memory per
08:05server. These systems are designed to process billions of parameters in real-time, running models like Gemini,
08:13ChatGPT derivatives and advanced vision transformers. And here's the quiet shift. These data centers are
08:22buying from the same memory supply as smartphone manufacturers. These companies now compete directly
08:29with smartphone makers for the same chips. Modern phones, especially AI-enabled devices,
08:37also need fast memory to handle real-time image processing, voice recognition and on-device generator
08:43features. And when a single server rack consumes more memory than thousands of phones combined,
08:49the economics change. AI infrastructure has become a priority. Every expansion of AI quietly pulls memory
08:57away from the consumer electronics industry. So, lesser supply of memory means the cost shifts quietly
09:03into your pockets. This is the moment smartphones start being the priority customer.
09:18But don't think for a second that this ends with the phones in your pocket. The memory vacuum is
09:23creating a ripple effect that is hitting every floor of the electronics store. From the high-end OLED TVs in
09:30your living room, to the smart refrigerator in your kitchen, and even your washing machine or air
09:36conditioner, they all rely on the same DRAM and memory chips that AI companies are aggressively outputting
09:43everyone for. Industry leaders like Samsung are already warning that as they prioritize high-performance
09:51chips for AI data centers, the supply for everyday appliances is being choked.
10:01What does that mean for you? It means that AI-driven inflation is coming for your household budget.
10:08Analysts are projecting price hikes of up to 10% on televisions and 5 to 20% across broader home
10:14appliances this year. In the new economy, the same AI that's supposed to make our lives easier is making
10:22the hardware we rely on significantly more expensive to own.
10:26Now, there are market reports that suggest Samsung is considering price increases of $30 to $50 for its
10:35upcoming Galaxy S26 series, reflecting sustained pressure from component costs. Now, across the
10:42Android ecosystem, price adjustments are already visible, with several models in India becoming around
10:491 to 2,000 rupees more expensive in early 2026, often without obvious changes on the specs sheet. Now,
10:58check out all of these headlines that indicate that manufacturers are gearing up to increase prices
11:04for their upcoming models and this is concerning for many people who are looking to either upgrade or
11:10make a new purchase in the new year.
11:13The impact is also going beyond pricing. Memory shortages are now shaping how smartphones are built.
11:24Some manufacturers may limit RAM or reduce storage or compromise in build quality
11:29while keeping headline prices competitive.
11:33Those compromises don't always show up on day one, but they surface over time, slower multitasking,
11:41constrained AI features and shorter software relevance.
12:05In practical terms, Indian consumers in 2026 could face a choice.
12:10Pay more for full-featured phones or get devices with slightly lower memory or storage.
12:16This shows how technical limitations in global AI-driven supply chains
12:20are directly influencing the phones in our hands.
12:28To sum it up, the smartphone price rise in 2026 is all about global memory shortages,
12:35competing AI demand, rising material costs and strategic tech shifts inside the devices themselves.
12:41And those forces are likely to shape not just how expensive a phone costs,
12:46but also what it delivers to you in performance, memory and AI readiness.
12:52We will continue tracking all of these trends as we move deeper into 2026.
12:58Now, let's shift focus to two devices that are budget-friendly, have enough RAM for all of your
13:05multitasking needs. Check out these new Redmi devices.
13:08Think about your daily digital life. You wake up with your smartphone screen and then you look at
13:19your smartphone more than you look at your partner. No love lost over there. And when you're about to
13:24end your day, the last thing that you see is your smartphone screen. While I never recommend people
13:30watching their screens for such a long time because it's bad for the eyes, I know I sound a little
13:34hypocritical because you're watching this video on the screen, but even if you have to look at a display,
13:40at least get a good one. But what really qualifies as good, especially if you are in a budget,
13:46even if it's something as small as this or something bigger. And that's exactly we are reviewing two
13:53devices today. This one is the Redmi Note 15 making a comeback in the Note series and the other one is
13:57the Redmi Pad 2 Pro. Now, if you're looking for budget-friendly options, one that offers a decent
14:04design and a good display and the other one gives you almost a mini theater experience, then this one
14:09you should definitely watch. First up, let's talk about this one, the Redmi Note 15.
14:17The moment you pick up the Redmi Note 15, you realize Xiaomi is clearly trying to flirt with
14:21the flagship category. I mean, the curved AMOLED display instantly makes the phone look more
14:26expensive than it actually is. I mean, it's like the kind of phone you casually place on the table
14:31and people just look at it and get curious. How much is this phone? The screen is smooth thanks
14:37to the 120Hz refresh rate, colors look rich and the brightness is strong enough to survive the Indian
14:43sunlight and it also works fine even if you are using the phone in the smog. This joke is especially
14:50for the people who live in Delhi. It's also surprisingly light and slim and comfortable
14:54to hold. You even get an IP66 rating, which means a little rain won't send you running towards the rice
15:02bowl because that's exactly what you do when your phone falls into the water, right? Now, the only small
15:06drama here is the curved screen itself. I mean, it looks great, but isn't it time already that curved
15:11screen designs ended? And finding a screen protector for curved screen is a pain. Otherwise,
15:17it is a great display. It has HDR10+, it has PWM dimming and also, it's pleasant to look at.
15:27Inside, the Redmi Note 15 runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, which essentially is the kind of
15:32processor that minds its own business, gets the job done quietly, but is almost three years old and
15:40that could be a problem when you are putting in money to buy a phone in 2026. However, day-to-day tasks,
15:46social media, YouTube, switching between apps, everything runs smoothly, so no complaints in
15:50that department. And you will also be able to play some graphic-intensive games, maybe PUBG or even
15:56Call of Duty Mobile. However, the moment you push the graphics, that's when the phone will start to
16:02struggle, so it's not meant for that. The good thing is Xiaomi is promising long-term updates, so this
16:07phone won't start feeling old emotionally or technically anytime soon. HyperOS also deserves some
16:13credit, it's fast, it's colorful and does not make the smartphone look overwhelming or heavy with
16:19bloat in any way. However, let's be honest, this is not a phone that people would want to play
16:24graphic-intensive games set on ultra extreme mega max settings and expect magic. I mean, yes, it can
16:31game but absolutely doesn't flex in terms of being a gaming smartphone. And even if you look at the
16:37benchmark numbers, they are not as impressive. So clearly, Xiaomi is not looking to impress you with
16:43all the specifications, rather it's offering you practicality, which in 2026 for a budget phone is
16:49something that you should look forward to. Also, you do get a few pre-installed apps, which you will
16:54probably spend the couple of first 15-20 minutes uninstalling, which you mostly do. I mean,
17:00why would you want bloat on your phone, right? The big talking point here is the rear 108-megapixel
17:08camera that Xiaomi has added on this one, which could clearly be a game-changer if you're looking
17:13to buy a phone like this. In good lighting, the photos come out sharp, detailed and very
17:18Instagram-friendly. Yes, there is optical stabilization which helps you at night and also while you are
17:23shooting. Selfies are clean and natural, good enough for video calls and even the portrait mode is
17:28impressive. Where things become a little average, I feel, is the ultra-wide-angle lens. You get an
17:348-megapixel lens in this one and the results might not be as impressive what you get in the competition
17:40in this category. And that's where I feel the camera system kind of gets left behind. Plus,
17:45there is no telephoto lens either, so zooming in is mostly software doing a lot of the hard work. But
17:51on a budget phone, I feel it's still good enough.
17:54This smartphone comes with a massive 5520mAh battery, which is easily one of the best batteries
18:03that you can get in this price segment. The good thing is that you are getting an all-day battery
18:08and it's one of those phones that you don't have to worry about by the evening hits. You can still do a
18:13lot and not panic and by the end of the day, when I was using this, I was left with around 25% charge,
18:20which isn't really bad. You also get 45W fast charging, which is quick enough and gets your
18:25phone from zero to full charge in around an hour, which is good. But is it the fastest charging tech
18:31in the market? Absolutely not. I mean, there are smartphones in the market that give you 120W fast
18:37charging, which are relatively more expensive, but they can charge your phone faster than you can change
18:41tires on F1 cars. So that tech is impressive. This one is decent. So if I have to give a verdict,
18:48I will say the Redmi Note 15 is like that well-dressed, ideal friend and companion that really doesn't
18:55outshine every other person in the room, rather just sits subtly and impresses regardless.
19:04I mean, it is reliable, it is stylish and always shows up on time and you are getting a gorgeous
19:10display with this one. The battery life is good, the camera is decent and overall, if you're looking
19:15for a phone in the 25 to 30K category, this is a good option to have. And I'm not saying that the
19:21competition is not available. You have the OnePlus, you have the Nord series as well. There are a lot
19:25of phones in the Realme categories, but when Xiaomi is giving you a smartphone, it is loading it with
19:31good specifications and the Redmi Note series is known to be a good, good series for Xiaomi, which is why
19:38it's one of the top selling phones in the Indian market. So I would clearly say, it's not built to
19:45dominate the budget and the mid-range sector. However, if you're looking for a comprehensive option,
19:51which not only gives you a good display, but also gives you good battery life, then the Redmi Note 15
19:56is a decent option to consider. Now, let's talk about the bigger brother of this one. No, not this big
20:03brother, the tablet. The Redmi Pad 2 Pro is an ideal companion for binge watchers. I mean,
20:12just look at that 12.1-inch display. I mean, this is the reason why companies like Netflix, Amazon and
20:18even Prime Video developed tablet-specific applications so that you can sit and binge watch
20:23on screens like these. The sharper 120Hz refresh rate keeps everything silky smooth and the size
20:29makes it feel almost like a portable TV rather than a tablet. The metal body feels premium and sturdy
20:36and then add quad speakers on this one which support Dolby Atmos and your experience just is mind-blowing.
20:43However, I would recommend that you do not turn the volume all the way up because that just blasts
20:48the video and just kills the experience. The one thing that you need to be prepared for is the size and
20:54the weight because this one is not light in the hands. Yes, it is 12 inches but you need to understand
21:00that this is a tablet so it will take a toll on your hands if you are not, you know, working out.
21:08So you need strong hands for this one. Powering the Pad 2 Pro is the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 which is an
21:16upgraded version of the previous 7s. It's smooth for everyday tasks, handles multitasking well and
21:21casual games run without complaints. You can also use the split screen view and run multiple applications
21:28and also attend video calls and all of the work documents, everything, practicality has been
21:33bundled into this tablet. So for basic daily work, this is ideal. Hybrid OS on larger screen feels clean
21:40and easy to navigate and that's something a lot of people will appreciate that they haven't added a lot
21:45of clutter on this one. However, when you're using this tablet, keep expectations real. This is not a
21:51gaming tablet, it's not trying to replace your laptop and you will not be editing 4k videos or
21:55playing the heaviest games at max setting. Yes, all of the Android apps are compatible and you are
22:02getting the basics over here but be a bit realistic with your expectations and don't consider this one
22:09to be a powerhouse rather use it like a practical solution. The good thing is to enhance the utility,
22:15you also get this keyboard which is connecting via Bluetooth and also get a stylus. However,
22:21both of them charge separately via USB-C. In terms of functionality, I was using this keyboard typing
22:27A is good tactile feedback and all of the keys are decent enough. Yes, it does not have a trackpad
22:33which could be a deal breaker but then you can always attach a mouse and use it. The stylus isn't as
22:38impressive as I expected because yes, it does come with functionality buttons but in terms of latency,
22:43when I was drawing, there was lag and that's something that I at least faced. Maybe you have
22:49a different experience. Now tablets and cameras have a very unconventional relationships and I feel that
22:57they are there just to exist. That's about it. The Redmi Pad 2 Pro follows the same philosophy because
23:03this one has an 8 megapixel front camera which is fine for video calls, office meetings etc.
23:09where the rear camera is also of the same resolution but it doesn't really serve any purpose. I mean,
23:14you would use it to click your Instagram photos or make videos so it doesn't really make sense of
23:20having a camera at the back. Which is why I say you won't buy a tablet to shoot cinematic reels or a
23:24vacation photo so the camera which is on the front is mostly the most functional one and it's a decent one as well.
23:32Talking about the battery, you are seeing one of the biggest batteries that you can have on a tablet
23:40because the Redmi Pad 2 has a massive 12,000 mAh battery and with regular use, I got about 4-5 days
23:47easily and that is impressive to have on a canvas like this. You can even charge your phones thanks to
23:53the reverse charging technology which is mostly used in emergencies. Don't be lugging your phone and the
24:00cord every single time because yeah you have a power bank for that. While this can double as a
24:06power bank, don't use it for that. The only downside which I feel here is that the battery while being
24:12naturally big charges very slowly because this supports 33 watt charging and in 2026 if you have
24:19a tablet 33 watts is just too slow. So yes patience is required when you're charging this device but again
24:26if you look at it practically think about it, you'll be charging this device maybe once every four to five
24:33days so even if it's 33 watts, it's not really a deal breaker.
24:40So the Redmi Pad 2 Pro is available in India in the 5G version as well and price between 25 to 30,000
24:47rupees which is decent pricing for a tablet like this. However, it is dangerously close to the
24:53OnePlus Pad 2 and also the Samsung Tab series and that makes it a little difficult for Xiaomi to
24:59convince people to go for this one. Yes, it does offer the big battery, the small display, the speakers
25:05are good and also the performance is dependable. Everything wrapped into a premium looking body
25:10like this. However, you should look at the Xiaomi tablet purely as an entertainment solution because it is
25:17not I would say a powerhouse. If you're looking for more functionalities, more premiumness, you're
25:23better off going for tablets in the 40k plus segment. However, in the more affordable segment,
25:29this is a practical solution and something that you know offers you all of the good things. A good
25:36battery, a premium display, good sound quality and a very sturdy looking design. So this was a
25:41comprehensive review of the new Redmi Note 15 and also the pad. Let me know in the comment section what
25:46you think about these devices. 2025 was a brilliant year for smartphone sales. I mean, imagine Apple
25:54has record sales, the mid-range market was booming but I doubt it will be the same in 2026. So well,
26:02that's where the no-cost EMIs and the discounts will always come to your rescue but do realize the
26:09market is slowly shifting to a more AI-dominated ecosystem that is going to affect
26:16our lives. Tell us, are you willing to pay more for AI features or would you rather settle for lower
26:22specced smartphones to save money? I'm waiting to hear what you have to say about that. Rest assured,
26:28we will be tracking all of this on the Tech Today show, so stay tuned. This is Cyrus signing off,
26:34I'll see you next week. Stay curious.
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