Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26+, S26 price hike over Galaxy S25 series? Here's what the latest leak suggests

Samsung Galaxy S26 series launch is just around the corner. Now, latest leaks suggest that the upcoming Galaxy S26 series could arrive with noticeably higher price tags compared to the Galaxy S25 models. While Samsung has not officially confirmed the pricing yet, reports hint that rising component costs may push the brand toward its first flagship price hike in nearly three years.  Also Read: Latest renders left no room for guess ahead of Samsung Galaxy S26 launch; Check here

Here is all that we know so far. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S26 series launch date, specs, camera, price: What we know so far

Samsung Galaxy S26 series price leak

According to a report by South Korea-based publication ETNews, the Galaxy S26 lineup, which is expected to include the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, may launch at higher starting prices in Samsung’s home market. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is tipped to start at around KRW 1.8 million (roughly Rs 1.13 lakh) for the 256GB variant. The 512GB version could go up to nearly KRW 2 million (about Rs 1.26 lakh).  Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S26 series launch date tipped through unusual campaign details

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26+ is expected to be priced near KRW 1.5 million (around Rs 94,000) for the base model, while the standard Galaxy S26 could start at approximately KRW 1.3 million (roughly Rs 82,000). If these numbers hold true, you may see an increase of about KRW 99,000 (close to Rs 6,000) compared to the previous generation.

Why are prices up? 

The reported price hike is largely linked to the rising cost of core smartphone components, especially DRAM and NAND memory. Industry data suggests memory prices have increased sharply over the past year, and their share in overall smartphone production costs has grown significantly. With brands also focusing heavily on AI-powered features and stronger hardware, absorbing these costs may not have been practical. 

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Samsung had managed to keep flagship prices steady across multiple generations, but the current market conditions appear to have made a revision unavoidable. Interestingly, the report also mentions that Samsung may introduce a double-storage pre-order benefit to ease the impact of higher prices. This typically means customers who purchase a 256GB model could receive a free upgrade to the 512GB variant during the early sales period, a strategy often used to soften resistance to price increases.