> Software price hikes are driven in part by inflation. The cost of living has surged post-pandemic in most economies. Higher electricity costs, chip shortages, and rising wages all increase the cost of doing business.

Not that there hasn't been inflation, but prices have gone up much more in the last year than inflation itself has. Inflation is 3.2%, lower than the 100-year average in the U.S. It was higher a year ago, but still only about 9%. All of the price increases in that article are significantly higher than that, most are multiples of that. Even if they hadn't raised their prices for a few years prior, that still doesn't add up. I don't buy inflation as a valid excuse, though I would it as an invalid excuse they're still using because people perceive it as true.