He indicated that the average value of a device within the import data rose by about 15 percent, reaching approximately 106 dinars, compared to about 93 dinars during the corresponding period last year, explaining that this average is calculated from the value of imports and the number of devices, is influenced by their specifications and categories, and does not represent the final retail price to the consumer.
Regarding retail prices in the local market, Alloush said that price monitoring conducted by the association for a sample of 14 device categories showed that the average price increase reached about 36 percent when comparing prices observed during the third quarter with those of the first quarter, while the average increase between the second quarter and the prices observed in the third quarter reached about 28 percent.
He explained that the increases varied between devices, as the price of one category rose from 90 to 175 dinars, an increase of nearly 94 percent, while the price of another device rose from 180 to 275 dinars, an increase of 95 dinars, confirming that these results pertain to the monitored sample and do not mean that all phones rose by the same percentage, nor do they relate to the values recorded in import data, but rather to retail prices.
Alloush attributed the rise in phone prices mainly to the increase in global memory chip prices, as a result of growing demand for them with the expansion of major companies' investments in artificial intelligence and data centers, explaining that these chips are a key component in device manufacturing, and that their rising cost is reflected in phone prices from factories, and subsequently on the cost of new shipments imported by merchants into Jordan.
Alloush confirmed that importers and merchants continue to provide various brands, specifications, and price categories through mobile phone shops spread across the Kingdom's governorates, stressing the importance of comparing prices, warranties, and after-sales services, and choosing a device according to actual need and available budget.
