The price of your phone: How device-based pricing is quietly widening the digital divide

Ride-hailing apps and e-commerce platforms are under scrutiny for employing device-based differential pricing, where fares and costs vary depending on the user's smartphone. This algorithmic pricing strategy, while aimed at profit maximization, raises concerns about economic profiling and discrimination. Consumers with high-end devices may face higher prices, impacting India's price-sensitive market and eroding trust.