Raspberry Pi OS 6.3 adds a dock as RAM price surge revives firmware lock row

Raspberry Pi OS has been updated to version 6.3 (September 2026), replacing the old Windows-style taskbar with a bottom dock and a full-screen app launcher. Surging memory prices have also revived debate over firmware that locks boards to their original RAM capacity: a 16 GB Raspberry Pi 5 now costs $305 in the US and £292.80 in the UK.

• Raspberry Pi OS 6.3 adds a bottom dock, full-screen launcher and three layout options
• Wayland components updated to labwc and wlroots 0.20, Linux kernel stays at 6.18
• Firmware has locked boards to their original RAM size and other attributes since 2024
• A 16 GB Raspberry Pi 5 costs $305 in the US and £292.80 in the UK amid memory price surge