Samsung has raised the factory price of its Galaxy S26 range in South Korea, marking the first time the company has increased flagship prices in four years. The hike, confirmed through notifications sent to Korean telecom carriers this week, adds up to ₩276,100 (roughly $203) to some models in Samsung’s home market. Shoppers in Britain are safe for the time being, with Samsung telling partners there are no changes to prices in other regions.
What the new prices look like
The standard Galaxy S26 with 256GB of storage rises from ₩1,254,000 to ₩1,403,600, an increase of ₩149,600 or about $111. The S26 Plus climbs from ₩1,452,000 to ₩1,601,600, while the S26 Ultra jumps from ₩1,797,400 to ₩1,947,000. The biggest victim is the top-end Ultra with 1TB of storage, which leaps from ₩2,545,400 to ₩2,821,500. The rate of increase sits between 8 and 11 percent depending on the model.
Memory costs are to blame
Samsung has not officially explained the decision, but industry watchers point squarely at the soaring cost of memory chips. Artificial intelligence data centres are hoovering up DRAM and NAND flash supplies, forcing smartphone makers to compete for components that were once cheap. Samsung’s own financial disclosures show LPDDR5 RAM prices up 16 percent, camera modules up 8 percent and chipsets up 12 percent. Research firm Gartner has projected a combined 130 percent surge in DRAM and SSD prices by the end of 2026, warning the squeeze could push smartphone prices up by as much as 13 percent across the industry.
Good news for UK shoppers, for now
British buyers have nothing to pay extra yet. The Galaxy S26 Ultra launched in Europe at €1,449, roughly £1,240, and prices there have not moved. Samsung has also held the line in the United States. That said, the Korea increase is the first crack in four years of stable flagship pricing, and analysts say the Galaxy S27, expected around February next year, is unlikely to escape a higher price tag. Shoppers considering an upgrade this year may find that waiting costs them money.
The wider picture
Samsung is not the only manufacturer feeling the pinch. Apple raised prices on its iPhone 17 range by $100 shortly after the arrival of the iPhone 18 Pro, and tipsters claim Samsung is also weighing a price rise of INR 10,000 on the Galaxy S25 range in India this month.
