Both Apple and Samsung have released their flagship phones of 2026, and now all eyes are on their devices that are likely to come out next year. For Apple, it will be the base iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and the iPhone Air 2. Whereas Samsung will launch its S27 lineup featuring four models: the base S27, the S27 Pro, the S27 Ultra, and the S27 Plus.
While the vanilla iPhone 18 and Galaxy S27 are reported to receive some really cool improvements over their respective current models, there is one particular upgrade I am absolutely certain you won't appreciate. I'm talking about price increases.
That means the base iPhone 17 is now selling at $899 in the US. If this number sounds expensive to you, well then I don't know what you would feel about the reported price of the iPhone 18. The upcoming Apple phone is expected to see a price increase, according to a highly trusted tipster, Digital Chat Station.
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While the tipster didn't clarify whether the anticipated price increase is relative to the original launch price of the iPhone 17 or its current $899 selling price. But I, personally, believe it's relative to its current price, and there's a reason behind it. Let's say the upcoming iPhone 18 gets a $100 price increase over its original launch cost.
Then, it would mean both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 would be selling at $899, unless Apple decides to lower the cost of the former. In this case, any wise man would prefer to go with the newer model, which would eventually affect the sale of the iPhone 17. That's why I think if Apple is actually going to launch its upcoming vanilla phone at a higher price, then most likely it is going to be priced at $999 instead of $899.
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iPhone 18 or Galaxy S27: which one are you thinking of getting?
Multiplesources suggest that the upcoming Galaxy S27 would also launch at $999, which is the present selling price of the Galaxy S26. Compared to the current price, it surely appears that the tech giant isn't going to increase the cost of its upcoming model, but you shouldn't forget that the current base variant was launched at $899, not $999. So, in reality, there will be a $100 price increase over the original launch price of this year's model if the price hike rumors turn out to be true.
No one seems to be liking the rumored price increase
As expected, both Apple and Samsung fans are disappointed hearing about the rumored price hike of their respective upcoming phones. Under a relevant post, an Apple fan commented that the price increase is now a new feature.
Comment about iPhone 18 price increase. | Image by Reddit
Another user mentioned, "18e at $799 and 18 at $999, what a time we are living in." Similarly, under a Reddit post that basically talks about the base Galaxy S27, one user commented that the device will have an exciting new premium price.
Are any of these devices worth the price increase?
Both the iPhone 18 and the Galaxy S27 are yet to be unveiled. But considering everything that has surfaced about these devices, the answer to whether you should be upgrading to them depends on the smartphone that you currently have. Let's say you have the iPhone 17, then I, personally, don't think upgrading to the iPhone 18 would be an idle decision based on everything that has leaked about the device until now.
The only upgrades the upcoming Apple phone is reported to get are: a faster 2 nm A20 chip and a slightly larger battery. There might be some other incremental improvements, but these two seem like the only main things changing in the new model compared to the iPhone 17. If the iPhone 18 indeed launches at $999, then upgrading to it if you already have the iPhone 17 that you purchased for $799 just for two major improvements doesn't really make much sense to me.
I would apply a similar strategy in the case of Galaxy S27 as well. If you daily drive the Galaxy S26 that you purchased for $899, then upgrading to the upcoming model, which is likely to cost $999, isn't a wise decision according to me. The reason behind this is that the upcoming phone is likely to receive only small upgrades over the current variant.
Aman Kumar is a news writer at PhoneArena covering Google Pixel phones, Android features, AI-powered smartphone tools, and mobile tech news. Before joining PhoneArena, he spent over five years writing about consumer technology for publications like MakeUseOf, How-To Geek, and Guiding Tech. His current daily drivers are the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, while his red iPhone SE (2nd gen) remains a personal favorite. Aman also appreciates bold smartphone experiments and still considers the Nokia N-Gage one of the industry’s most iconic designs.
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