HP Raises PC Prices by 8% and Printer Prices by 20% in One Year
Other Companies Face Similar Situations
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The semiconductor shortage that began with automobiles has extended its impact to computers, printers, and smartphones, leading to a rise in consumer prices.
On the 21st (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the price of ASUS laptops, manufactured in Taiwan and sold on Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce platform, increased from $900 to $950 this month. The price of HP Chromebooks rose from $220 in early June to $250 currently. According to Bernstein Research, HP has raised prices by 8% for personal computers and 20% for printers over the past year.
Enrique Lores, CEO of HP, stated, "Due to parts shortages, manufacturing costs have increased, making it inevitable to raise consumer prices," adding, "We may further adjust prices to reflect future cost increases."
Other electronics manufacturers are facing similar situations. Dell Technologies also announced, "We will appropriately adjust prices in response to increased parts costs."
Semiconductor manufacturers maintain that price increases are unavoidable. Vincent Roche, CEO of semiconductor manufacturer Analog Devices, argued, "We are not trying to profit from the semiconductor shortage," explaining, "The cost of semiconductor production has risen."
To overcome the semiconductor shortage caused by the automotive sector, semiconductor companies have collectively increased production, which has driven up the prices of semiconductor materials such as silicon wafers and various metal materials.
Additionally, the explosive increase in demand for personal computers due to changes such as the spread of remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic has further fueled consumer price increases. According to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, approximately 100 billion chips were sold worldwide in April, marking a record high. This is a significant increase compared to 73 billion sold in January last year, indicating a surge in semiconductor demand since COVID-19.
Dave Ford, senior analyst at the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA), said, "Consumer price increases due to rising semiconductor manufacturing costs will continue for some time."
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