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Screenshot from the Galaxy Unpacked event teaser video. | Image credit—Samsung
Well, it's official — Galaxy S26 reservations are open, with no double storage bonus in sight.
The flagship phones' announcement is just around the corner, too. The next Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for February 25 at 10AM PT.
No double storage for fans this year
Reserve your Galaxy S26 at the official store
Samsung has launched its much-awaited Galaxy S26 reservations. Pre-securing a unit straight away gives you a $30 Samsung credit, a chance to win a $5,000 sweepstake, and pre-order savings of up to $900.
Some users may argue that it's been basically known for months. I agree — leaks suggesting there'll be no double storage benefits with the Galaxy S26 first emerged back in January 2026.
Still, part of me expected Samsung to resist the ongoing RAMpocalypse. At the end of the day, double storage was one of the most exciting benefits. That clearly isn't the case, and the shift feels disappointing.
Galaxy S26 vs Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23: pre-order perks comparison
What exactly is the South Korean tech giant offering with the S26?
A $30 reservation gift
A chance to win $5,000
Up to $900 in savings with eligible trade-ins
How do you feel about the Galaxy S26 reservation perks?
Now, by itself, this actually looks great. However, Samsung used to handle Galaxy S pre-orders a bit differently, giving the end-user more value at the end of the day. I'm not exaggerating here: history proves that Galaxy S buyers got much more exciting offers in previous years.
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Galaxy S25
The Galaxy S25 Ultra was available with some truly remarkable discounts. | Image credit—PhoneArena
The Galaxy S25 pre-orders included savings of over $1,250 on the Ultra model, including a $900 maximum trade-in price cut, a $120 free storage upgrade, plus up to $300 in Samsung credits.
The Galaxy S25+ was eligible for up to $700 off with trade-ins, and users who pre-ordered also received a $100 Samsung credit. As for the vanilla option, it was available at up to $500 off with trade-ins, with an extra $100 Samsung credit.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra may be 'boxy,' but its pre-order discounts were out of the box! | Image credit—PhoneArena
The situation was mostly similar with the Galaxy S24 pre-orders.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra was available with up to $990 in savings. The promotion included a $140 free storage upgrade, a $750 trade-in discount, and a $100 Samsung credit.
Galaxy S24+, Galaxy S24: Trade-in promo of up to $550, $100 Samsung credit, and $60-$120 in extra savings (free storage upgrade).
The Galaxy S23 Ultra may feel outdated in 2026, but its pre-order discount feels ahead of its time. | Image credit—PhoneArena
Believe it or not, those who pre-ordered a Galaxy S23 could take advantage of the same bonuses: free storage upgrade, $100 Samsung credit, and trade-in perks.
While I couldn't firmly pinpoint the trade-in value breakdown, according to SamMobile's post, users could save between $700 and $750 on the Galaxy S23, with the higher discount reserved for the Ultra exclusively.
What about reservation bonuses? Surprise — $50 reservation gift was available on all three lineups.
The bottom line
Now, what conclusions can we draw from all this? Firstly, the trade-in price cut this year is actually solid. I, for one, feel tempted by the idea of scoring up to $900 in savings on an ultra-premium phone.
Second of all, double storage discounts have basically been a tradition for the Galaxy S since at least the S23 series. Another thing is, all pre-orders came with a Samsung credit, separate from the reservation gift.
Sure, these credits are never accepted as discounts on the actual flagship Android phones. Nevertheless, it's basically free money that you can use on accessories.
Of course, Samsung could add an extra credit for the S26 later. It's just that the current reservation terms don’t point in that direction.
One last thing
Prices for RAM have increased tremendously indeed. | Image credit—Counterpoint Research
I admit the substantially increased price of memory over the past year could explain why Samsung has decided to ditch the double storage perk. After all, any company wants to make a profit. I won't argue whether Samsung was practically forced to abandon this appreciated bonus or opted out in order to keep profits high.
What I find way harder to explain is the decreased value of the reservation gift. Again, this year users get a $30 credit for accessories, while S23-S25 reservations included a $50 bonus.
Sure, it's not a big difference, but since the double storage is gone, doesn't shrinking the sign-up discount feel like adding salt to injury?
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Polina Kovalakova, a News and Affiliate Content Writer, has nurtured a passion for mobile technology since the era before smartphones. With a history of exploring a variety of devices, her insights into the mobile world are both broad and nuanced. Polina's non-partisan view extends to appreciating nearly every smartphone brand, a reflection of her open-minded approach to technology. Polina is equally passionate about uncovering the best online deals, tirelessly working to ensure her readers snag top-tier tech at unbeatable prices.
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