KUALA LUMPUR – Tech enthusiasts and smartphone loyalists may need to dig a little deeper into their pockets this year. After maintaining a steady price point for its flagship lineup since 2023, Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing to introduce a price hike for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, scheduled for a global debut later this month.
The anticipated shift in pricing strategy comes as the South Korean tech giant navigates a complex global supply chain influenced by the unprecedented boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Industry analysts and insiders point to the soaring cost of memory chips as the primary catalyst for the adjustment. As smartphones transition into “AI-first” devices, the hardware requirements—specifically high-performance memory and advanced processing power—have become significantly more expensive to produce.
According to industry sources, the entry-level 256GB model of the Galaxy S26 could see a price increase of approximately 99,000 won (US$68). For context, Samsung has successfully kept the base price of its flagship models at 1.15 million won since the release of the Galaxy S23, absorbing previous cost increases to remain competitive.
“The enhanced chip performance required to run sophisticated AI features locally on the device has made a price adjustment almost inevitable,” noted one industry official.
The news follows recent comments from Roh Tae-moon, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics. During a press briefing in January, Roh hinted that the rising costs of raw materials and specialized components would likely reflect in the company’s 2026 product lineup.
Samsung is betting that the value added by its new AI capabilities will justify the premium. The company has officially announced its Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event, which will take place in San Francisco on February 25. Under the promotional theme “The Next AI Phone Makes Your Life Easier,” the event is expected to showcase how the Galaxy S26 integrates seamless AI into daily tasks, from real-time translation to advanced generative photo editing.
While the internal decision to raise prices seems firm, the final figures are still being calibrated. Samsung is reportedly weighing the “psychological threshold” of its consumer base against the pricing policies of its primary rivals.
The challenge for Samsung lies in balancing its “premium” brand identity with the economic realities of its users. However, with the AI revolution demanding more robust internal hardware, the era of the $800 flagship may be reaching a turning point.
