Realme is launching the GT7 Pro flagship on November 4, and 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 is about $560/€520.
The new Realme 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 6,500 mAh 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 Pro, arrived in December 2023 with a CNY3,399 price tag, 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 lineup – we are looking at a price hike of about CNY 600-700 (about $100) in just one year. The increase is huge in the context of the inflation rate in China, which has been just under 1% for the past nine months.
IDC revealed earlier this month that sales of premium smartphones in China (devices over CNY3,000/$500) have been on the rise in the past three quarters.
IDC: Smartphone market share by price category
The Realme GT7 Pro will launch a week ahead of the biggest shopping festival in the Asian country, Singles Day (11.11). That’s when we’ll see whether this strategy of a higher base price will benefit the brand or whether users will opt for other, more affordable flagships.