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Galaxy S26 price hike might not be the only reason to avoid it

Samsung's upcoming phones are now expected to cost more and come without any pre-order perks.

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By Anam Hamid

Published: Dec 30, 2025, 8:57 AM

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Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S26. | Image Credit - Steve H.McFly

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series looks to be headed for a price increase, leaker @kro_roe has suggested. Beyond the higher price, the new devices may lack the aggressive pre-order incentives seen with the previous iterations.

Higher costs, no perks

Galaxy S26 buyers might pay more for less.

Kro says the Galaxy S26 series will cost significantly more than the Galaxy S25 lineup. On top of that, Samsung reportedly plans to scrap the free double storage pre-order promotion. This means that, in addition to a higher starting price, buyers will receive less added value than they did last year.

The value proposition

While the Galaxy S25 starts at $799.99 for 128GB, rumors suggest the base Galaxy S26 model will move to 256GB as standard. If this happens, the price hike might be easier to swallow, as it effectively bakes the storage upgrade into the base price. The entry price will still be higher during the pre-order period, though.

The standard Galaxy S25 Plus costs $999.99, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra starts at $1,299.99.

All three phones will likely have a minimally refreshed design and feature iterative hardware updates. Depending on the region, they will be powered either by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or the in-house Exynos 2600.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra could feature faster charging, and the base model may have a larger screen and a bigger battery.

Samsung's generative artificial intelligence model will reportedly be more deeply integrated into the new phones, which will enable some exclusive on-device AI features.

Smartphone AI features have proven to be lackluster so far and are not the primary reason behind upgrades. Unless the Galaxy S26's AI tools move the needle in terms of usefulness, most buyers will be reluctant to pay more for what appears to be a rehash of the Galaxy S25.

Do the price hike and no pre-order combo make you less likely to buy the Galaxy S26?

Samsung has been cornered

Samsung apparently waited until the very last moment to make up its mind about the price of the Galaxy S26, though it's worth mentioning that nothing has been finalized yet. Component costs, particularly memory prices, have been ballooning, making price hikes inevitable not just for the Galaxy S26 series, but for the entire flagship market in 2026.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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