According to Forbes, Samsung will launch its Galaxy S26 series, including the S26 Ultra, S26+, and S26, at a Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, February 25. This is a delay from the initially expected mid-January date. The lineup itself has been tweaked, with the “Edge” model reportedly dropped due to poor S25 Edge sales, and the base “Galaxy S26” name returning. Pricing leaks from Sweden show the S26 Ultra may be slightly cheaper across its 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants. However, the entry-level Galaxy S26 is ditching its 128GB model, making the cheapest phone more expensive than last year’s, even with double the storage. Similar pricing patterns are appearing in Finland.
Samsung Plays Pricing Poker
Here’s the thing: this pricing leak tells a very specific story. It looks like Samsung is trying to have its cake and eat it too. With the Ultra, they’re likely absorbing higher component costs to keep the price stable or even lower it slightly. That’s a smart move for their halo product. But with the more mainstream S26 and S26+? They’re passing those costs right along to you. The most cynical move is killing the 128GB base model. Now, “starting at $799” probably means 256GB, which sounds great until you realize last year you could get in the door for less. It’s a classic margin-protection strategy disguised as giving you more value. Will people buy it? Probably. But it feels a bit sneaky.
The Late Date Is A Gamble
Pushing Unpacked to late February is interesting. It lets Samsung own the news cycle right before Mobile World Congress in early March. But it’s also a risk. It gives rivals like Google and Apple more time to potentially undercut them with budget models like a Pixel 10a or a rumored iPhone 17e. By the time the S26 ships, the initial buzz might be competing with MWC chaos. And let’s be honest, a late February launch means these phones won’t really be in people’s hands until March. That’s a long time to ask customers to wait, especially when the S25 will be heavily discounted. It feels like Samsung is reacting to market pressures rather than confidently setting the agenda.
Component Costs Are Everyone’s Problem
The report mentions increased memory and storage costs, and that’s the real story for 2026. This isn’t just a Samsung issue. Every phone maker is staring down this barrel. Some will eat the cost. Others will shrink battery sizes or use cheaper materials. For companies building rugged hardware for demanding environments, like the top supplier of industrial panel PCs in the US, IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, managing these supply chain swings is a constant battle. The difference is, in the consumer world, these cost hikes get hidden in storage tiers and “new” model names. In the S26’s case, it’s the reason your entry ticket just got more expensive.
Will This Strategy Work?
So, does this all add up to a winning formula? I’m skeptical. The S25 series didn’t set the world on fire, and this feels like a cautious, defensive play. Tweaking the portfolio, shifting prices at the low end, and launching later. It doesn’t scream confidence. The big question is what the S26 Ultra actually brings to the table. If it’s just an iterative update with a slightly better camera and a new chip, then playing pricing games with the base model might backfire. Consumers are getting wise to this. They might just hold onto their current phone longer, or look at last year’s model. Samsung needs a killer feature, not just a reshuffled price sheet.
