Samsung Galaxy S26 series pricing could be bad news for these buyers: Report

Samsung could be forced to increase the prices of the Galaxy S26 lineup in its home market.

The rumour mill around the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is starting to pick up pace as the purported launch in February nears. In the latest development, another report has emerged, which may bring both good and bad news for buyers depending on where they live. Specifically, a report by South Korean publisher FN News claims that Samsung Galaxy S26 prices could remain the same in the US. However, pricing in its home market of South Korea could see an increase.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's alleged dummies. (OnLeaks/X)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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More specifically, the base 256GB model could see a price hike of between 44,000 KRW and 88,000 KRW. Pricing in the US could still stand at $800 for the Galaxy S26, $1,000 for the Galaxy S26+, and $1,300 for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which would be the same as the Galaxy S25 series. Again, these are just reports at this point and have not been officially confirmed.

Reports suggest this is largely due to rising bill of materials costs, driven by recent increases in memory prices, along with the strengthening US dollar.

What about the Indian market?

For India, things remain unclear, and reports have not yet painted a clear picture of what to expect. Having said that, Samsung phones already command a premium in the Indian market, and pushing prices higher than the iPhone 17 series could prove detrimental for the brand in India.

For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in India costs ₹1,29,999, which is ₹5,000 less than the flagship iPhone 17 Pro. The base model of the Galaxy S25 also costs ₹80,999, which is about ₹2,000 less than the iPhone 17. So, at present, Samsung is undercutting the iPhone. However, if it raises prices in India, competition could become tougher, considering the popularity of the iPhone 17 series this time, especially the base iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro.