Black Friday, the deal-drenched marketing blitz that kicks off the holiday shopping spree, might feel more muted this year.
\n\nThat’s because just about everything is getting more expensive. As the global economy reckons with challenges from the AI industry’s memory crisis and the ongoing war in Iran, prices for many products have risen, especially consumer electronics like smartphones and gaming consoles.
\n\nWhile many sales have already begun, the prices on offer may feel less like a deal than in years past. Weaker deals will likely revolve around products that use a lot of memory (RAM). Gadgets like robot vacuums, headphones, and other products that don’t rely as much on memory may see better prices.
\n\n“Things are getting more expensive, and they'll probably continue to get more expensive well into 2027, maybe even 2028,” says Jitesh Ubrani, director of Consumer Devices Research at IDC. “When it comes to PCs, tablets, those kinds of devices, that's where everyone's going to struggle.”
\n\nCase in point: Amazon, the absolute behemoth of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, has hiked the prices of its latest Kindles, tablets, and Echo speakers, meaning its next sale on those devices likely won’t impress compared to years past.
\n\nBlack…
Original source: https://www.wired.com/