Samsung Announces Galaxy S26 Launch on Feb. 25, Prices Set to Rise Over Memory Costs

Updated 2026-02-17 22:40:00+00:00 (4 articles)

Image: Yonhap

This photo released by Samsung Electronics Co. on Feb. 13, 2026, shows the company's advertisement highlighting the artificial intelligence (AI) features of Galaxy smartphones on a digital billboard in southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) Source Full size

Galaxy Unpacked 2026 Scheduled for San Francisco on Feb. 25 Samsung will host its Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event on February 25 in San Francisco, unveiling the new Galaxy S26 flagship under the theme “The Next AI Phone Makes Your Life Easier”[1]. The venue and date were confirmed in a press release, and analysts expect the S26 to be the centerpiece of the show[1]. Samsung plans to showcase AI‑enhanced features that differentiate the device from previous models[1].

First Flagship Price Increase Since Galaxy S23 The upcoming S26 will mark Samsung’s first flagship price hike since the Galaxy S23 launch in 2023[1]. The base model has been priced at 1.15 million won, while the top‑end 256 GB variant could cost up to 99,000 won (≈ US$68) more[1]. Industry watchers attribute the increase to rising memory‑chip costs driven by AI demand[1]. Samsung has signaled that the price adjustment will be modest to stay within consumer thresholds[1].

Co‑CEO Roh Tae‑moon Flags Memory Chip Cost Impact In a January press meeting, co‑CEO Roh Tae‑moon warned that climbing memory‑chip expenses could force Samsung to adjust product pricing[1]. He emphasized that AI‑centric devices require higher‑performance memory, which is currently more expensive[1]. The executive’s comments suggest internal acknowledgment of cost pressures ahead of the launch[1].

AI Boom Drives Global Memory Chip Price Surge Global memory‑chip prices have risen sharply amid the artificial‑intelligence boom, according to an unnamed industry official[1]. Stronger chip performance needed for AI features makes a price increase “inevitable,” the source said[1]. Samsung will weigh consumer psychological thresholds and rivals’ pricing before finalizing the S26 price[1].

Sources

1.
Yonhap: Samsung to unveil Galaxy S26 with first flagship price rise since 2023: article outlines the Feb 25 San Francisco launch, AI‑driven memory cost prompting the first price hike since the S23, Roh Tae‑moon’s warning, and industry perspective on pricing strategy.
2026-02-17 22:40:00+00:00

Timeline

Oct 2025 – Samsung’s executive vice‑president for memory, Jaejune Kim, warns that mobile and PC memory shortages will intensify as AI‑driven data‑center demand accelerates, signaling early pressure on the supply chain. [2]

Q4 2025 – IDC projects a 30 % surge in memory prices during the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by explosive AI data‑center demand, foreshadowing higher component costs for smartphones and PCs. [2]

Dec 5 2025 – IDC forecasts a 0.9 % decline in global smartphone shipments in 2026 and an average selling price of $465, while TrendForce estimates an 8‑10 % rise in phone production costs due to memory price hikes; the same day Micron announces it will discontinue its consumer memory business to reallocate capacity to AI‑focused data‑centers. [2]

2025 – In India, a steep rupee depreciation and rising memory costs squeeze margins, prompting Samsung to launch its Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, S25 FE and foldables Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, while competitors such as Nothing, Vivo, Apple and Xiaomi adjust line‑ups amid shifting consumer demand. [3]

Jan 2 2026 – Global RAM prices more than double compared with October 2025 as AI‑intensive data‑centers outpace supply, leading analysts to predict that laptop manufacturing costs could climb $40‑50 per unit and smartphone costs $30 per device in 2026. [1]

Early 2026 – Micron exits its Crucial consumer RAM brand, redirecting production capacity toward AI‑driven memory, a move that could reshape the consumer RAM market and affect device pricing. [1]

Jan 2026 – Samsung co‑CEO Roh Tae‑moon cautions that soaring memory‑chip expenses may force the company to adjust product prices, underscoring the direct link between AI‑related memory demand and flagship pricing strategies. [4]

Feb 17 2026 – Samsung announces the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event for Feb 25 in San Francisco, teasing the upcoming Galaxy S26 and confirming that the flagship will carry the first price increase since the S23, driven by AI‑induced memory‑chip cost pressure. [4]

Feb 25 2026 – Samsung unveils the Galaxy S26, with the top‑end 256 GB model priced up to 99,000 won (≈ US$68) higher than the current S23 baseline, marking the first flagship price hike since 2023 and reflecting the impact of higher AI‑chip and memory costs. [4]

2026‑27 – AI and hyperscale cloud providers finalize memory requirements for 2026‑27, sustaining strong demand for RAM and keeping prices elevated across all memory types throughout the next year. [1]

2030 (forecast) – McKinsey projects global data‑center infrastructure spending to reach nearly $7 trillion by 2030, reinforcing manufacturers’ shift toward data‑center memory over consumer segments. [2]