The microSD card slot was a convenient and inexpensive way for smartphone users to upgrade their storage in an affordable manner and without paying the hefty premiums that came with switching to a higher-tier model. Unfortunately, manufacturers have slowly locked out this flexibility by removing the slot altogether, pocketing decent profits from this move. However, the rising DRAM costs, which have forced companies like Micron to drop out of the consumer business, might be a blessing in disguise, because a rumor claims that smartphone makers are thinking of bringing back the microSD card slot.
Consumers upgrading to newer smartphones can save costs by opting for lower storage and expanding it with the microSD card slot; manufacturers can appease buyers with competitive prices while absorbing some of the DRAM premium
On Weibo, Repeater 002 hasn’t explicitly mentioned any smartphone manufacturers who are bringing back the feature, but apparently, there is some chatter emanating from Chinese suppliers that may have caused the person to publish a post on the micro-blogging social network. With DRAM shortages possibly persisting until at least Q4 2027, desktop and laptop memory kit prices have shot through the roof. Naturally, this turn of events will also negatively impact smartphone DRAM chips.
Samsung’s Device Solutions division has also been reported to have rejected a memory supply request to its own Mobile Experience arm, instead opting for a quarterly contract that will be revised every three months. With the price of each 12GB LPDDR5X now estimated at $70, which is more than double the $33 figure for the component at the start of the year, one of the Korean giant’s sectors would obviously prioritize profitability.
Looking at this trend, smartphone prices due to surging DRAM costs will increase, but that is up to the manufacturers on how much damage they are willing to absorb. By offering a microSD card slot for storage expansion, consumers can opt for the base internal memory variant to save a few bucks, helping companies to keep their shipments and revenue rolling.
What will be even better is that these smartphones support the newer microSD Express standard, which will remove the performance bottleneck completely for supported cards. For instance, Samsung’s 512GB P9 Express microSD Express card with up to 800MB/s speeds is going for $74.99 on Amazon, whereas companies like Apple charge a whopping $200 when switching from a 256GB version to the 512GB one.
Unfortunately, devices already on the supply line are not expected to undergo a complete redesign, so manufacturers planning smartphone releases in the second half of 2026 can likely incorporate the microSD card slot.
News Source: Repeater 002
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