Samsung Electronics Co raised prices across most of its Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup, the latest example of consumer-tech brands passing costs on to consumers amid a persistent memory shortage.
The Galaxy S26, S26+ and 26 Ultra have all jumped in price by US$100 (RM408), now starting at US$1,000 (RM4,085), US$1,200 (RM4,902) and US$1,400 (RM5,719) respectively. The highest storage tier for the Ultra, a 1TB model, has increased by US$200 (RM817) and now costs US$2,000 (RM8,170).
Over the last year, prices for consumer electronics such as laptops, gaming consoles and smartphones have risen as manufacturers grapple with an unprecedented shortage of memory chips driven by the artificial intelligence boom and the buildout of data centres that require this component.
Samsung implemented the changes across its S26 portfolio just weeks after Apple introduced a pricier iPhone 18 Pro line and increased the cost of older models such as the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air. The Pixel 11 series from Alphabet Inc’s Google also jumped in price compared with the previous generation.
Samsung hasn’t changed the pricing of its most affordable Galaxy S26 device, the S26 FE, which was introduced in August for US$700 (RM2,859). When it debuted, that phone was priced US$50 (RM204) higher than its predecessor.
The company’s latest foldable devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8, have also been spared from the latest price hikes. For the time being, then, the US$1,900 (RM7,761) Z Fold 8 will remain less expensive than Apple Inc’s forthcoming iPhone Duo, which will be available starting Oct 23 for US$1,999 (RM8,167).
Compared with the Galaxy S25 series, the Galaxy S26 and S26+ were already both US$100 more expensive when they went on sale in March. But the top-of-the-line S26 Ultra handset was an exception: Samsung initially maintained the US$1,300 (RM5,311) starting price of recent models, making this week’s increase the first for that product line since early 2024. – Bloomberg
