Realme launches the flagship GT7 Pro November 4and the device is already listed for pre-orders/registrations in China. According to a leaked image from an online retailer, the phone will have a starting price of CNY3,999, which works out to around $560/€520.
Realme’s new flagship will feature a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a brand new Samsung Eco2 OLED display. It is also expected to have an IP69 rating, a massive 6,500mAh battery with 120W charging and three powerful cameras.
Our sources pointed out that all these features could be the reason for a price increase. The predecessor, Realme GT5 Proarrived in December 2023 with a price tag of CNY 3,399, which is about 15% less than the expected new price.
Realme GT7 Pro Colors
Xiaomi is preparing to do something similar with the 15 series and the Redmi K80 series – we’re looking at a price increase of around CNY 600-700 (about $100) in just one year. The increase is huge in the context of China’s inflation rate, which has been just below 1% for the past nine months.
IDC revealed earlier this month that sales of premium smartphones in China (devices above CNY3,000/$500) have increased over the past three quarters.
IDC: Smartphone market share by price category
The Realme GT7 Pro will kick off a week before the Asian country’s biggest shopping festival, Singles Day (11.11). Then we will see if this strategy of a higher base price will benefit the brand or if users will opt for other, more affordable flagships.