Galaxy S26 prices rise $100 in the US, Ultra now $1,399

Samsung raised the US prices of its Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra phones by $100 on October 1, 2026, and the 1TB S26 Ultra by $200. The new prices appeared on Samsung's US online store without an announcement, 9to5Google reports. The phones have been on sale since February, so this increase lands partway through their life. The reports point to one cause: memory chips are getting more expensive.

The new prices

Every model and storage option in the main lineup went up. Only the most expensive Ultra rose by more than $100.

Model	Storage	Old price	New price
Galaxy S26	256GB	$899	$999
Galaxy S26	512GB	$1,099	$1,199
Galaxy S26+	256GB	$1,099	$1,199
Galaxy S26+	512GB	$1,299	$1,399
Galaxy S26 Ultra	256GB	$1,299	$1,399
Galaxy S26 Ultra	512GB	$1,499	$1,599
Galaxy S26 Ultra	1TB	$1,799	$1,999

Two phones were left alone. The Galaxy S26 FE stays at $699, gHacks reports, and 9to5Google says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is also excluded. Tech AI Wire covered the S26 FE's launch at $699 in August.

Where the change shows up

So far the increase is on Samsung.com. When 9to5Google checked, Amazon and Best Buy still listed the old prices. Droid Life also found the launch prices at Amazon, and expects that window to close.

The US is not alone. gHacks reports similar changes on Samsung's stores in South Korea and India. Android Headlines says prices in Korea had already gone up.

Why prices are rising

Samsung has not explained the change. 9to5Google and Droid Life both note that the company made no official announcement.

The outlets all point at memory. gHacks ties the increase to a shortage of DRAM, the working memory in a phone, and NAND, the flash chips that store its files. That shortage has worsened since the S26 launched in February, according to gHacks. Droid Life and Android Headlines both blame demand driven by AI.

The memory makers see it the same way. Micron said this week that supply will be tighter in 2027 and 2028 than it is in 2026.

Samsung is not the only phone maker raising prices. Droid Life notes that Google and Apple also charged more on recent launches, citing the same supply pressure.

How it compares

The base Galaxy S26 now costs $200 more than its predecessor did, gHacks reports. Samsung had already added $100 when the S26 launched, and this second increase doubles that.

The Ultra now costs more than Apple's top iPhone. At $1,399, the S26 Ultra starts above the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which starts at $1,299, according to gHacks.

What this means for developers

For anyone buying phones, the cheapest move is to check other stores first. Amazon and Best Buy still had launch prices when these reports went out. Android Headlines points to Amazon's Prime Day sale on October 6 as another chance.

For teams that buy test devices, budget for higher prices across the board. The same memory costs are pushing other brands up too, as Droid Life notes. If your device lab needs a 512GB or 1TB model, the jump is the same $100 to $200 per unit. Buy the units you need for the next year before retailers catch up.

For app makers, a pricier flagship has a quieter effect. Fewer buyers may upgrade each year, so older phones stay in use longer. If you set a minimum supported device, check your analytics before raising it. The share of users on two- and three-year-old phones may grow rather than shrink.

Watch the next launch. Android Headlines expects the Galaxy S27 to cost more again. That is the outlet's forecast, not a Samsung announcement.