Return of the microSD card slot: Smartphone manufacturers examine expansion memory in response to sharply rising DRAM prices

The continuing rise in prices for DRAM components is putting pressure on the entire electronics industry, as both PC hardware and mobile devices are having to absorb increasingly higher component prices. The cost trend is having a particular impact on smartphones, as LPDDR memory is permanently installed and cannot be scaled. Market analyses indicate that DRAM prices could remain high until at least the end of 2027. As a result of this situation, manufacturers are focusing on possible cost-cutting measures. One of the options being discussed is the return of the microSD card slot. This feature has been removed from many devices over the years, as higher internal storage levels were used as a lucrative differentiating feature. At the same time, this reduced flexibility for users in their choice of device, as switching to larger storage configurations was usually associated with high surcharges.

The current market dynamics are challenging this strategy as the price of mobile DRAM modules is rising much faster than previously expected. Industry reports show that the price trend is particularly affecting LPDDR5X, which is used in many upper mid-range and high-end smartphones. The increasing costs mean that manufacturers have to weigh up end consumer prices against their own margins. A purely internal memory expansion generates direct additional costs on the production side. An additional microSD slot, on the other hand, shifts the choice of storage requirements entirely to the user, without the manufacturer having to offer larger storage variants.

Another technical aspect is the availability of the microSD Express standard, which enables significantly higher transfer rates compared to older generations. Depending on the card and implementation, the performance data can reach several hundred megabytes per second, which makes use as extended application storage more realistic than with previous cards. Even if not every smartphone would benefit from this interface, it opens up the possibility of largely avoiding the performance bottlenecks of the past. The potential advantage is that users can purchase the basic configuration of a device and expand it externally if required. This reduces the impact of DRAM price increases, as the internal memory configuration no longer necessarily needs to be scaled.

On the market side, a widespread return of the microSD slot is not expected in the short term, as devices that are already in the production chain can no longer be adapted due to their design. However, new designs, which are expected to appear from the second half of 2026, could incorporate the concept. Whether manufacturers actually take this step depends on a variety of economic factors, in particular price trends in the storage segment and the positioning of the respective product lines. There are currently no verifiable statements about specific models or manufacturers. However, discussions in supply chains indicate that the topic is being seriously investigated. Until further information is available, the return of the microSD slot remains a possible but unconfirmed strategy for cost stabilization.

Conclusion

Rising DRAM prices are increasing the economic pressure on smartphone manufacturers and could lead to the microSD card slot being increasingly integrated into devices again. Technically, the return of modern microSD Express standards would make sense. Whether this development will occur across the board cannot be verified at present, but it is being discussed as a potential approach within the industry.