Buying a new phone often means dealing with increasingly expensive price tags and the amount does not weigh the same everywhere given that its value changes depending on the country in which the purchase is made. A phone bought in China, or in the United States, as well as in Europe, or in Italy, can cost very differently and the causes are different, primarily fiscal, such as taxes, VAT, duties or special taxes, which are applied to different extents and end up weighing on the final price of the product, as well as other regulatory and economic factors: for this reason, for example, in Italy they have a higher cost than in the United States.
The best-selling phone in the first two quarters of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research, was the iPhone 17, which accounted for 6% of units sold worldwide in both periods. As can be read in the report on the second quarter, Apple and Samsung shared the entire top ten sales, with five models each which alone are worth 26% of global sales, including the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra which, according to the analysis, was the best-selling Android smartphone in the world during the quarter.
How much do the best-selling smartphones cost in Italy today
In Italy the basic iPhone cost 839 euros in 2019, with the iPhone 11. In 2022, with the iPhone 14, it rose to 1,029 euros. Then it dropped to 979 euros and remained at that price for three generations. In September 2026, Apple adjusted the price list and the iPhone 17 went from 979 to 1,129 euros, as reconstructed by macitynet. At the same time, the new iPhone 18 Pro starts at 1,489 euros, 150 more than its predecessor. Samsung followed the same path in early October. Galaxy S26 has risen from 1,029 to 1,129 euros and Galaxy S26 Ultra from 1,499 to 1,599 euros, almost seven months after launch.
Xiaomi, which with Redmi A5 occupied tenth place in the Counterpoint ranking in the first quarter, built its fortune on the Redmi Note series. In January 2026 Redmi Note 15 debuted in Italy at 199 euros, while the successor Redmi Note 17, which arrived in September, starts at 249.90 euros. The 5G variant went from 229 to 349.90 euros, the Pro from 379 to 499.90.
Rincari, the weight of memories
There are many reasons behind the price increases, one of the most impactful is the shortage of memories, which are increasingly directed towards artificial intelligence data centers. IDC, a market research and consultancy company, in its report presented in August, estimated that in 2026 the average selling price of a smartphone will rise by 27.6%, up to $581, an increase in the average price of smartphones linked precisely to the shortage of memory, the costs of which have risen, according to the report, by over 300% in a year, while deliveries will drop by 16.7%. For the analysis company “the era of the cheap smartphone is over”.
The memory chip shortage is unlikely to ease anytime soon, according to Ramon Llamas, research director at IDC. Llamas explained to Rest of World that “There are three major memory manufacturers, and as of late 2025, all of them have allocated the vast majority of their production to AI processing centers, rather than consumer electronics.” “This has left many companies scrambling to procure supplies. Memory shortages have driven up memory prices, and these increases have been passed on to consumers,” Llamas explained.
According to Counterpoint, in 2026 the prices of models already on the market increased on average by 15%, albeit with notable differences between nations, including India with the largest increase, i.e. 21%, 18% in the Middle East and Africa, 10% in China and just 5% in the United States. The economic segment suffers the most. According to IDC, in the second quarter deliveries of phones under $100 fell by almost 60%, and the reason is structural considering that, as IDC explains, in economic models the memory now exceeds 65% of the cost of the components. This is why price increases are higher precisely in markets where low-cost devices are mainly sold.
iPhone Duo, the price map
As for the latest arrival, the iPhone Duo, it will be on sale from October 23rd and Apple’s Italian price list starts from 2,369 euros for the 256 GB version, up to 3,869 euros for the 2 TB one. The website SpikeToday compared the official prices of all 40 Apple online stores that sell it, converted into dollars as of September 29th. What emerged is that in the United States the price of the iPhone Duo is the lowest while Turkey has the highest price overall, i.e. $1,999 versus $4,694 in Turkey respectively. After the USA there are Canada, with 2,999 Canadian dollars (2,118 dollars) and Hong Kong, with 17,499 Hong Kong dollars (2,231 dollars). While here in Europe the Duo costs 2,299 euros in Germany, 2,339 in France and Spain, compared to 2,369 in Italy. The countries in which the Duo costs the most, as we were saying, are Turkey, followed by Brazil (4,224 dollars) and India (3,122 dollars).
How come the price changes from country to country and the case of Türkiye
In Türkiye the cost is higher for several reasons. The state weighs heavily, taxing telephones, starting with a 1.2% contribution to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and a 12% contribution for public television. Added to these are a special consumption tax which varies depending on the value of the device, which can reach up to 50%, and VAT at 20%.
Behind the price difference there is taxation and a changing regulatory framework. The Italian price tag already includes VAT at 22%, while the US one is displayed without the sales tax. Those who sell in the Union are liable for product defects for at least two years, i.e. the legal guarantee of conformity, a commitment that is normally longer than that expected overseas. Every smartphone sold in Italy is also subject to the fee for private copying, managed by the SIAE and applied to every device capable of recording or archiving data, which the decree of the Ministry of Culture of February 2026 increased by between approximately 15% and 40% depending on the memory.
