I’ve been reporting on developments related to the ongoing memory crisis for months, but this update is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Apparently, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the best in Samsung’s upcoming lineup, could cost less than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The claim comes from tipster Roland Quandt (via a post on BlueSky Social). He claims that the entry-level and mid-range variants of the Galaxy S26 Ultra with 256GB and 512GB of storage respectively could be 100 euros cheaper at launch.
Galaxy S26 Ultra prices could drop for lower storage tiers
In this case, the Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) variant could cost €1,369 (was £1,469), while the Galaxy S26 Ultra (512GB) could cost £1,490 (was £1,590). However, the 1TB variant could cost the same as last year: £1,849.
If the Ultra becomes cheaper, you would also expect a price cut for the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus. However, that could be the case. The non-Ultra models could retain their introductory prices, which sounds strange at first but makes sense when you consider the lower margins on these models.
Additionally, a recent rumor suggested that Samsung would increase the base storage of non-Ultra models to 256GB.
The tipster also claims that Samsung won’t be offering free pre-order storage upgrades this year, and chances are that’s true, especially if the company decides against increasing the price of the Galaxy S26 phones.
Don’t expect any free storage upgrades this time
Remember that Samsung is one of the largest DRAM module manufacturers in the world and should therefore be in a better position than the rest of the smartphone manufacturers.
Given its unique position, the company might have decided to absorb most of the higher component costs to capture a larger share of the global smartphone market.
And if that’s the case, Samsung should follow a similar trend in other key markets, including the US and India. However, I would still treat this information with caution unless it is confirmed by additional industry sources.
