Will they? Won't they?
Samsung's launch of the Galaxy S26 series has put to rest long-standing questions over whether the top smartphone makers of the world will raise prices this year to balance increasing costs for components like RAM and memory chips. While there were widespread speculations about price bump for Samsung's flagship lineup, reports also hinted that the Korean tech major might reserve the raises for its home turf and keep global prices intact.
However, that's not the case, and the first major flagship series of 2026 has arrived with price increases across the board and across geographies — barring a few exceptions.
In the U.S., for example, the Galaxy S26 now starts at $899 (for the 256GB model), which represents a $100 increase compared to the Galaxy S25's $799 starting price — though Samsung made 256GB the new baseline, partially offsetting the perceived hike. The Galaxy S26 Plus starts at $1,099, also up $100 from the previous generation's $999 entry point. Meanwhile, the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra holds steady at its $1,299 starting price.
Similar increases have been confirmed in markets like India, where even the Ultra gets a hike. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's price in India now starts at Rs 1,39,999 — a Rs 10,000 increase over its predecessor. The S26 starts at Rs 87,999 (up approximately Rs 7,000), while the S26 Plus comes at Rs 1,19,999 — a whopping Rs 20,000 higher than the S25 Plus.
The Big Question: Will Apple Follow Suit With iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 Price Hikes?
This development raises the natural follow-up: Has Samsung set a precedent for the likes of Apple, and will the upcoming iPhone 17e and the Fall release of iPhone 18 series see a similar situation as well?
Apple has historically been resistant to broad price increases on its iPhone lineup — benefiting from massive scale and long-term supplier contracts and offsetting short-term cost pressures as a result. The Cupertino-based tech major held prices steady with the iPhone 17 lineup as well.
For the iPhone 17e especially, Apple is unlikely to follow suit, partly because of the budget tag of the “e” series and also due to the higher perceived pricing of the inaugural iPhone 16e, which replaced the cheaper iPhone SE.
Apple is more likely to keep base prices stable by absorbing some costs, particularly for entry-level models. However, for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the company could well introduce minor hikes selectively — for higher storage configurations. Overall, while the Galaxy S26 pricing is a sign of what could be in store, Apple is less likely to follow Samsung's across-the-board increases — unless external factors like tariffs or costs surge dramatically.
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