Club Benefits
Everyone’s still waiting to hear from Samsung about official confirmation for its next Galaxy Unpacked event, where we’ll presumably finally get our first look at the Galaxy S26 series. I’ve already explained if you should think about upgrading to the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you’re currently using a previous model — but a lot of my recommendation is based on its pricing.
So far, Galaxy S26 Ultra price leaks hint at a promising cost for Samsung’s flagship phone. The latest report from South Korea-based iNews24 (via SamMobile) claims that the Galaxy S26 Ultra would debut at a price similar to its predecessor, putting it at $1,299 stateside.
While I’m delighted by this possibility, the skyrocketing price of memory chip components could be forcing Samsung to tighten its belt in other areas. Here’s how.
RAM shortage puts Samsung in a corner
Phone makers need to make a profit off their devices, but skyrocketing RAM prices over the last year could be the primary reason Galaxy S26 Ultra prices might climb in certain regions.
Whether or not the AI boom is the sole driver of these semiconductor price fluctuations, High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and server-grade DDR5 chips are now in huge demand from companies needing them to power their AI models. Manufacturers like Micron are prioritizing these components over the production of the mobile RAM that phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra rely on.
As a result, the cost of the LPDDR5X RAM expected in the Galaxy S26 Ultra is reportedly set to triple. To maintain profitability, something has to give — and that could come in the form of reduced discounts and fewer pre-order incentives.
Say goodbye to the legendary double storage pre-order bonus
I’ve covered the last two major flagship releases from Samsung. Usually, I’m against upgrading to a new phone, especially if your current one is less than a year old — but the preorder deals offered for these past models made it almost impossible not to push the button.
That’s because Samsung has often leaned on a storage upgrade bonus, which gives you the next tier up for the price of the base model. For example, you’d be upgraded to 512GB of storage for the price of the 256GB version. The discounts didn’t end there, either, as other bonuses included generous trade-in savings which, depending on the device, could leave you paying almost nothing at checkout.
Accessories could become optional
Another frequent strategy Samsung has fallen back on countless times is throwing in freebies in the form of accessories, or at the very least, offering deep discounts. Not only have I seen free Galaxy Buds bundled with a new Galaxy, but I’ve also seen this applied to the Galaxy Watch lineup. There are also the aggressive “Galaxy Store” credits that typically accompany flagship launches, but those, too, could be scaled back.
These accessories and added discounts help keep users in the ecosystem, but Samsung could inadvertently be jeopardizing that loyalty by reducing these offers with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Launch day bundles have become synonymous with Samsung, but I fear they’re on the chopping block to keep the phone at that $1,299 price point.
Part of me doesn’t feel bad about this because, frankly, I’m not one to indulge in package deals. However, I do understand how they serve as a huge incentive to convince others to upgrade.
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