SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung’s next flagship Galaxy smartphone is expected to carry its first price increase since 2023, as rising memory chip costs driven by the global artificial intelligence boom put pressure on device pricing, industry watchers said on Wednesday.
The South Korean technology giant is set to host its Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event in San Francisco on February 25, where it is widely expected to unveil the Galaxy S26 under the theme “The Next AI Phone Makes Your Life Easier,” according to industry reports.
Samsung Electronics has kept prices of its core Galaxy models unchanged for the past three years, but analysts say a revision now appears likely as memory prices continue to climb. The higher costs are being attributed to stronger chip performance requirements needed to support AI-focused features.
Earlier this year, Roh Tae-moon, co-chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics, signaled that rising memory chip prices could eventually affect the pricing of Samsung products.
Industry sources said the 256GB variant of the Galaxy S26 could see a price increase of up to 99,000 won, or about $68, compared with the 1.15 million won starting price that has remained unchanged since the Galaxy S23 lineup.
“Stronger chip performance required for AI devices is making a price increase inevitable,” an industry official said, adding that Samsung is expected to finalize pricing after weighing consumer sensitivity and competitors’ pricing strategies.
In an earlier statement, Samsung said the upcoming Galaxy S series is designed to simplify everyday interactions, boost user confidence, and integrate Galaxy AI seamlessly from the moment the device is used.
Sources also said the new Galaxy smartphone is expected to feature a built-in privacy function that allows users to shield on-screen information from onlookers without the need for an additional privacy screen protector.
Samsung has not officially confirmed pricing details for the Galaxy S26 series. (Source: IANS)
