Budget and mid-range smartphone buyers in India are facing a tough month. Shortly after reports surfaced about brands raising their phone costs, it appears that OnePlus is following suit and has quietly hiked the retail prices of its recently-launched OnePlus Nord CE 6 and Nord CE 6 Lite.
New OnePlus Nord CE 6 and Nord CE 6 Lite Price in India
The news comes via tipster Sanju Choudhary, who took to X to share the revised pricing tiers for the OnePlus Nord CE 6 lineup.
The OnePlus Nord CE 6 has received a flat Rs 2,000 price increase, where the 8 GB + 128 GB variant now costs Rs 31,999, up from Rs 29,999. Meanwhile, the higher-end 8 GB + 256 GB variant jumps from Rs 32,999 to Rs 34,999.
The more affordable OnePlus Nord CE 6 Lite took the biggest hit with as much as a Rs 3,000 price increase. The base 6 GB + 128 GB variant costs Rs 22,999, up from Rs 20,999. On the other hand, the 8 GB + 128 GB variant now retails for Rs 25,999, up from Rs 22,999. The top-tier 8 GB + 256 GB variant's price has also gone up from Rs 25,999 to Rs 28,999.
For those unaware, the OnePlus Nord 6 price was also hiked recently, meaning this marks the first time that prices across the entire latest Nord series have been increased.
While OnePlus has yet to release an official statement regarding the price increase, we already know the reason. As the memory crisis continues to worsen, smartphone prices keep rising. Just recently, the Realme 16 series received a price hike, which was preceded by the OnePlus 15R price increase. The latter marked the second price increase for the sub-flagship since its launch.
OnePlus is likely feeling the same economic squeeze as the costs of materials continue to climb. Mid-range and budget smartphones remain the worst affected as brands continue to pass down those expenses to the consumers.
Reports suggest an easing in pricing isn't coming until 2029, and the prices are expected to climb until then. Recent data from Counterpoint Research suggests memory prices have surged by 50% and will keep rising. The best thing consumers can do is buy now or hold on to their existing smartphones for a while.
