Samsung S26 Series Price Hike? Here's What The Latest Leak Suggests
Samsung is rumoured to keep the price same for its upcoming Galaxy S26 series, along with Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8.
Samsung is gearing up to launch smartphones across different segments in 2026. The South Korean tech giant lineup for this year is expected to be headlined by the flagship Galaxy S26 series as well as the highly-anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8.
Several key details, including launch schedule and key specifications, for the upcoming smartphones have emerged ahead of their debut in the global market.
What To Know?
According to a report by South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper, Samsung has decided to keep the prices unchanged for its Galaxy S26 lineup, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and and the Galaxy Z Flip 8. The company is said to be aiming to protect its market share along with profitability by defending its sales volume.
Tipster Ice Universe suggested that Samsung will hold its "Galaxy Unpacked" event in San Francisco on Feb. 25 to unveil the Galaxy S26 series. The purported lineup is expected to feature Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The series might officially go on sale in early March.
Under the plan, the base model of Galaxy S26 could be priced at $799 and the S26 Plus and S26 Ultra might be made available at $999 and $1,299, respectively.
Following this, Samsung is apparently planning to release its foldable series in July. As per rumours doing rounds, the Galaxy Fold 8 would be priced at $1,999 - same as Fold 7. The Galaxy Flip 8, meanwhile, could me made available for $1,099.
Key Specifications
The standard Galaxy S26 is expected to be backed by a 4,300mAh battery, which will be a major upgrade from the 4,000mAh battery in Galaxy S25, Maeil Business Newspaper reported.
Additionally, the Galaxy S26 Plus could get significant camera upgrades, supporting "3X zoom HDR (High Dynamic Range) shooting" to allow customers to capture distant objects clearly.
Insiders told the South Korean publication that the Galaxy S26 Ultra might be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, while the base model and Plus could feature a mix of Snapdragon and Exynos. This means, Samsung will continue with its tradition of using two different chipsets, depending on the region.
Moreover, the S26 Ultra is expected to come with 'privacy display,' that will operate pixels separately and block side viewing angle.
For the foldable devices, the Galaxy Fold 8 will reportedly be weighted down from 215g to 200g. This means, there might be a 15g weight reduction than the current Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphone.
The Galaxy Fold 8 is expected to come with a larger 5,000mAh battery, marking a big leap from 4,400mAh battery in the Galaxy Fold 7.
Also, the Galaxy Flip 8 is expected to be weighted down from 188g to 150g, thus making it 38g lighter than its predecessor.
