Galaxy S26 Price Leak: Ultra Gets Cheaper, Base Model Could Cost More

Samsung's next flagship lineup may arrive with an uncomfortable surprise for buyers. As global RAM shortage continues to worsen, a new leak now suggests Samsung is rethinking how it prices the Galaxy S26 series and it's not good news. 

The Galaxy S26 price increase is very real

Reported first by Winfuture, data from a Swedish retailer suggests Samsung could increase the price of the standard Galaxy S26. This could be because the brand is reportedly skipping the 128 GB storage option, making 256 GB the new standard across the board.

Now, this is similar to how Apple approached the iPhone 17 series, with the base iPhone 17 getting 256 GB and a small price increment with it. 

The standard Galaxy S26 is listed at 11,990 Swedish Krona (approximately Rs 1,25,000), a steep increase of roughly 180 Euros (approximately Rs 20,000) compared to last year's Galaxy S25. While the converted price may feel surreal in the Indian context, European prices tend to be inflated as smartphones are expensive there due to additional VAT.

Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is deflecting the inflation trend as the leak suggests it will get cheaper. Samsung is reportedly lowering the price of the 256 GB Ultra model to 16,990 Swedish Krona (approximately Rs 1,77,000), shaving off 100 Euros (approximately Rs 11,000) compared to its predecessor. The 512 GB variant could also see a slight price reduction, while the 1 TB variant may hold steady.

As for the Galaxy S26+, its base price could hold steady for the 256 GB variant, but the 512 GB version could receive a significant bump. Additionally, the retailer suggests that due to the ongoing RAM crisis, Samsung could eliminate its traditional pre-order bonus of free storage upgrades.

Winfuture also notes that the Swedish prices could reflect the German prices to some extent, with the base Galaxy S26 coming at 1,049 Euros (approximately Rs 1,15,000), Galaxy S26+ costing 1,299 Euros (approximately Rs 1,43,000) and the Galaxy S26 Ultra starting at 1,399 Euros (approximately Rs 1,65,000).

While the Indian pricing remains a mystery, Samsung may increase it here as well. But considering how price-sensitive the Indian market is, there's still a chance that Samsung could absorb the prices, just like how Apple is expected to absorb the iPhone 18 costs. 

With the Galaxy S26 series launch date reportedly set for February 25, 2026, more information about the pricing should be unveiled as we inch closer to launch, so stay tuned.