2026 is more than halfway through, yet we still have more smartphone launches scheduled. Amid all this, leaks about the 2027-bound Samsung Galaxy S27 series have started circulating in the tech community.
Like clockwork, Samsung’s upcoming flagship lineup is expected to run on the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 SoC in markets like the US and the Exynos 2700 chipset in other regions. Similarly, these smartphones will likely feature the company’s in-house M16 OLED panel for better brightness, colour performance, and power efficiency.
While the Galaxy S27 series could stick with the base configuration of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, these smartphones will likely be among the first to use UFS 5.1 storage and LPDDR6 RAM.
If true, it’s better to reach the final stage of grief and accept that the base Galaxy S27 could start at ₹1,35,000. I say this because a Counterpoint report indicates that memory now accounts for 20% or more of total BoM (Bill of Materials) costs in flagship smartphones. And I have only predicted the price of the base variant; higher models will be priced abysmal.
This might prompt you to consider buying last year’s premium models because they are still future-proof, and buyers won’t feel they're missing essential features. If so, I suggest you buy one within the next couple of days. The memory crisis isn't limited to upcoming smartphones; it's also affecting older models, pushing companies to raise prices every other day. Thinking of buying a flagship before prices climb further? Check out the list below to see what these models cost now after the latest price hikes.
What will the Samsung Galaxy S26 series cost after the price hike?
{{/usCountry}}This might prompt you to consider buying last year’s premium models because they are still future-proof, and buyers won’t feel they're missing essential features. If so, I suggest you buy one within the next couple of days. The memory crisis isn't limited to upcoming smartphones; it's also affecting older models, pushing companies to raise prices every other day. Thinking of buying a flagship before prices climb further? Check out the list below to see what these models cost now after the latest price hikes.
What will the Samsung Galaxy S26 series cost after the price hike?
{{/usCountry}}Kicking off the list is the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, which is soon to be the predecessor. The Galaxy S26 base model now costs ₹15,000 more than at launch. Similarly, the Galaxy S26 Plus is priced ₹15,000 higher than at launch. But what is terrifying is that the 1TB variant of the Galaxy S26 Ultra will now cost you ₹25,000 more than it did at launch.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S26 12/256GB | ₹87,999 | ₹1,02,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 12/512GB | ₹1,02,999 | ₹1,22,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus 12/256GB | ₹1,19,999 | ₹1,34,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus 12/512GB | ₹1,39,999 | ₹1,54,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 12/256GB | ₹1,39,999 | ₹1,54,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 12/512GB | ₹1,59,999 | ₹1,74,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 16/1TB | ₹1,89,999 | ₹2,19,999 |
Price hikes across iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air, and iPhone 16
After months of pushback, Apple finally succumbed to the memory crisis and raised prices on its older models after launching the iPhone 18 Pro models. The base iPhone 17 now costs ₹17,000 more than at launch.
If you were planning to cop the sleekest iPhone ever made but didn’t, you now have to shell out ₹30,000 more than you would have paid right after its debut.
The iPhone 17e, once the cheapest in the iPhone 17 lineup, will now start at ₹79,900, the starting price of most flagship smartphones. Worse, the iPhone 16 now costs ₹7,000 more than the iPhone 17's launch price.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 | ₹82,900 | ₹99,900 |
| iPhone Air | ₹1,19,900 | ₹1,49,900 |
| iPhone 16 | ₹69,900 | ₹89,900 |
| iPhone 17e | ₹64,900 | ₹79,900 |
Vivo X300 series:
The Vivo X300 series, often praised for its exceptional camera quality, is also caught in the crossfire of the price hike triggered by the memory crisis. While the base X300 is technically no longer with us, the X300 FE and the X300 Pro are priced ₹10,000 higher than at launch.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| Vivo X300 FE 12/256GB | ₹79,999 | ₹89,999 |
| Vivo X300 FE 12/512GB | ₹89,999 | ₹99,999 |
| Vivo X300 Pro 16GB/512GB | ₹1,09,999 | ₹1,19,999 |
OPPO Find X9 series:
The OPPO Find X9 series, another Android flagship lineup beloved for its extraordinary cameras, also falls victim to soaring prices. While the expensive models, including the Find X9 Pro and the Find X9 Ultra, haven’t seen any price hike so far, the standard Find X9 costs ₹10,000 more than at launch, and the Find X9S is also up by ₹5,000.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| OPPO Find X9 12/256GB | ₹74,999 | ₹84,999 |
| OPPO Find X9 12/512GB | ₹84,999 | ₹94,999 |
OPPO Find X9S 12/256GB
| ₹79,999 | ₹84,999 |
OPPO Find X9S 12/512GB
| ₹89,999 | ₹94,999 |
Xiaomi 17 Series:
Unlike Samsung, Vivo, and OPPO, Xiaomi has largely protected its flagship Xiaomi 17 series from rising memory costs. It has only raised the price of the Xiaomi 17T by ₹5,000.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 17T 12/256GB | ₹59,999 | ₹64,999 |
| Xiaomi 17T 12/512GB | ₹64,999 | ₹69,999 |
OnePlus 15 series:
The OnePlus 15 is among the few that are best suited to performance-centric users and gamers. That said, it has become a tough sell, as the brand has brought its price closer to the threshold where people feel much safer buying smartphones from Samsung and Apple. Even the OnePlus 15R is now ₹12,000 more expensive than at launch, almost touching the flagship territory.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| OnePlus 15 12/256GB | ₹72,999 | ₹85,999 |
| OnePlus 15 16/512GB | ₹79,999 | ₹93,999 |
| OnePlus 15R 12/256GB | ₹47,999 | ₹59,999 |
| OnePlus 15R 12/512GB | ₹52,999 | ₹64,999 |
| OnePlus 15R 16/512GB | ₹61,999 | ₹66,999 |
iQOO 15 series:
The iQOO 15 series, another lineup known for its performance-centric DNA, is now also at the mercy of soaring prices.
| Smartphone Name | Launch Price | Revised Price |
|---|---|---|
| iQOO 15 12/256GB | ₹76,999 | ₹85,999 |
| iQOO 15 16/512GB | ₹83,999 | ₹93,999 |
| iQOO 15R 8/256GB | ₹49,999 | ₹53,999 |
| iQOO 15R 12/256GB | ₹54,999 | ₹59,999 |
| iQOO 15R 12/512GB | ₹61,999 | ₹64,999 |
Conclusion:
Considering these price hikes, waiting for the festive sales may not be the best way to save money. If you’re planning to buy a smartphone, it may make more sense to do so now rather than wait for a discount that barely offsets the price increase. Otherwise, you could end up paying more even while taking advantage of a sale.