As the worldwide shortage of memory chips drags on, smaller smartphone and laptop producers are bracing for a prolonged period of tight supply. Many are now adjusting their hardware blueprints to soften the financial blow of rising component costs.

According to a report from Reuters, Jolla, the developer behind the Sailfish OS, has stated that the current memory supply crunch may not fully ease until around 2028. Despite this grim forecast, the company asserts it is well-equipped to weather the extended drought.

Where to start addressing the issue

Jolla intends to tackle the problem at the foundational level by redesigning its motherboards. The company is currently developing two new board designs that will allow it to swap its current integrated package-on-package solutions for discrete chips, depending on what is available in the market. This shift is designed to increase flexibility across different memory configurations, ensuring that if one type of memory package becomes scarce, Jolla can simply adjust the board layout to accommodate an alternative.

In parallel, Jolla plans to keep offering base versions of its products. This strategy will let consumers pay to upgrade their memory capacity based on their specific needs, rather than forcing them to purchase high-priced models with pre-installed large storage. By taking this route, the company aims to maintain a broader customer base, contrasting sharply with rivals who are merely hiking the retail prices of complete devices to offset climbing costs.

Industry forecasts regarding the end of the memory shortage remain divided. Some analysts predict that supply constraints could persist until 2027 or even 2028. On the more pessimistic end of the spectrum, SK Hynix has warned that the imbalance between demand and supply for memory might stretch beyond 2030. Should this trend continue, prices for critical components like memory are likely to stay elevated, which will inevitably trickle down to consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops in the form of higher end-user prices.