A top Samsung executive recently made a statement that suggests the company might need to adjust its future flagship phone prices. While the executive did not mention any devices in particular, it is natural to associate this news with the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
Rising component costs are a problem even for Samsung
Earlier reports stated that Samsung had been struggling to reduce costs because of the continued price hikes of key components, especially semiconductors.
Increasing expenses for labor and marketing have only made it more difficult for Samsung to keep flagship prices in line with previous years.
Now, the reports from earlier were essentially backed up by Wonjin Lee—president and head of global marketing—who addressed the situation in a recent interview with Bloomberg.
Prices are going up even as we speak. Obviously, we don’t want to convey that burden to the consumers, but we’re going to be at a point where we have to actually consider repricing our products.
Wonjin Lee, president and head of global marketing, Samsung
How much of a Galaxy S26 price hike would you tolerate?
None, prices are already too high
50.6%
Up to $50
14.67%
$100+ if upgrades justify it
11.98%
I’d just skip upgrading
22.75%
Memory prices are surging, despite Samsung’s advantage
One of the main issues is the current situation with the memory market. Samsung’s DRAM division shared a record-breaking $19.2 billion in revenue during Q4 2025, which highlights just how sharply prices have increased in the past few months.
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Now, Samsung has a major advantage here, since it manufactures its own memory. Despite that, it seems even Samsung is not immune to the memory crisis, so one could only imagine how brands that rely entirely on third-party suppliers can handle it.
The US could still be spared
The good news is that Samsung may not apply price hikes evenly across all regions, despite the growing costs for components.
Given that Samsung sells more phones in the US, and maintaining competitive prices there helps protect volume and revenue, that's not too far-fetched of an idea. Plus, Samsung could still find ways to offset some of the increases internally.
That said, between rising semiconductor costs, record-high memory prices, and direct confirmation from a senior executive, the idea of more expensive Galaxy S26 phones is no longer easy to dismiss, especially outside the US.
Of course, take this information with a grain of salt, as nothing is confirmed yet. That said, the Galaxy S26 series is looking more and more vulnerable to price hikes in at least some markets.
Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.
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