Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S26 series toward the end of next month, and recent leaks suggest the company is making significant changes to pricing. According to reliable tipster Roland Quandt (via Winfuture), most models in the lineup will see a price increase compared to the Galaxy S25 series.
The exception is the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is expected to become cheaper in its 256GB and 512GB configurations, while the 1TB variant will reportedly launch at the same price as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The broader price increase across the lineup is likely tied to rising component costs, particularly higher prices for RAM and flash storage, which continue to impact smartphone manufacturing costs.
As per the Winfuture report, which cites dealer data from Sweden as its source, Samsung is dropping the 128GB storage option entirely, making 256GB the new starting point across the lineup. In Sweden, the Galaxy S26 with 256GB will be listed at 11,990 SEK (€1135), up from 10,990 SEK (€1040) for the 256GB Galaxy S25. This represents a year-on-year increase of about €95 and also means the entry-level S26 is roughly €200 more expensive than the base S25. The 512GB model will be listed at 13,990 SEK (€1,325), which is around €190 more than the 256GB version.
The Galaxy S26+ follows a slightly different path. The base 256GB model is priced at 14,490 SEK (€1372), the same as the Galaxy S25+ with identical storage. However, the 512GB variant now costs 16,990 SEK (€1609), which is over €230 more than last year. Storage upgrades are clearly more expensive across the board, reflecting higher flash memory costs.
The most surprising shift comes with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung appears to be lowering the entry price of its flagship model to keep it competitive. The 256GB Galaxy S26 Ultra is listed at 16,990 SEK (€1609), down from 17,990 SEK (€1703) for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The 512GB version drops slightly as well to 18,990 SEK (€1798). The 1TB model remains unchanged at 22,490 SEK (€2129), suggesting Samsung is absorbing some of the added memory costs at the top end.
Samsung is also expected to end its long-running practice of offering free storage upgrades during pre-orders. With memory no longer cheap, those promotions are likely being phased out to give Samsung more pricing flexibility.
Beyond pricing, leaks suggest limited hardware changes. The Galaxy S26 is expected to feature a 6.3-inch M14 AMOLED display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, while the S26+ could offer a larger 6.7-inch 2K AMOLED panel. Both are tipped to retain IP68 protection, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Qi2 wireless charging, and similar camera setups to the S25 series. Power may come from either the Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, depending on the market.
According to recent reports, Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S26 series on February 25, 2026. Pre-orders could begin on February 26, with first sales starting on March 11.
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