Samsung’s next flagship Galaxy smartphone is anticipated to experience its first price increase since 2023, according to industry experts, driven by rising global memory chip costs associated with the artificial intelligence (AI) surge.
The South Korean tech giant is scheduled to host the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event in San Francisco on February 25th, under the banner “The Next AI Phone Makes Your Life Easier.” The event is widely expected to see the debut of the Galaxy S26, the latest iteration of Samsung’s premium smartphone lineup.
While Samsung Electronics has maintained stable pricing for its primary Galaxy models since 2023, industry observers suggest a price adjustment is likely for the Galaxy S26 series, primarily due to escalating memory costs.
During a press briefing in January, Roh Tae-moon, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, alluded to the potential impact of increasing memory chip prices on the pricing of Samsung products.
Industry sources suggest the 256GB variant of the Galaxy S26 could see a price hike of up to 99,000 won (approximately $68 USD) compared to the Galaxy S23’s starting price of 1.15 million won.
“The enhanced chip performance required for AI-powered devices is making a price increase unavoidable,” stated an industry insider.
