Tech items that could cost you more in 2012

It doesn't always pay to grab that cool gadget as soon as it hits the shelf. Early adopters can burn themselves in many ways: they fall victim to the hype, the price drops significantly after a few months, or that fancy new toy is just riddled with glitches and bugs.

In recent years, tech shoppers looking for the best bang for their buck have shown restraint. But as certain products are expected in increase in the coming quarters, this may not be the best year for calculated tech shopping. Here is a look at three of the tech items that are expected to cost you more in 2012, as foretold by PC World.

Hard drives

Digital storage had seen a steady decline in recent years, prompting many to run out and grab that external hard drive they've always wanted. But 2012 is set to reverse the trend.

Last year's historic flooding in Thailand had severely constrained the global supply of hard drives, an effect that has lingered for several quarters. More than a dozen hard drive factories were damaged in a country that accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the global hard drive production.

"Some retailers have actually been rationing hard drive—based products," reveals Laura Heller in a Deal News blog. "As a result, we've seen fewer hard drive discounts. Expect continued shortages throughout the first quarter of 2012, which is when experts predict that production will begin to catch up to demand."

Yet some, including the IDC, anticipate the hard drive rejuvenation to kick in closer to Q3.

Desktop computers

The global hard drive shortage will certainly result in higher desktop prices in 2012. Manufacturers will not be able to absorb the spiking cost of hard drives, which has PC makers looking at the consumer to cover the cost. The NPD group is predicting as much as a 30 per cent increase in the average price of a PC, and tech researchers at Gartner predict the laptop will succumb to the pressure shortly thereafter.

"Along with the hard-drive trend, design changes will fire up prices," explains John P. Mello in a PC World blog. "More all-in-one desktops will enter the market, and many will have touchscreens, which are more expensive to produce than traditional hands-off displays."

Digital cameras

The emergence of the smartphone has been detrimental to a handful of tech items, but the low end digital camera market may have been hit the hardest. According to NPD, point-and-shoot cameras were down 18 per cent in dollars and 17 per cent in units from January to November of last year.

Yet cameras with detachable lenses saw an 11 per cent jump in dollars, coupled with a 12 per cent increase in units during that same period. High-end digital cameras also saw a boost in sales — 10 per cent in dollars and 16 per cent in units shipped.

"Camera makers can see the handwriting on the wall," explains Mello. "They're going to be adding features and pumping up the quality of their new cameras, and you can expect all of that to translate into higher camera prices in the coming months."

(Screengrab PC World)