Seoul, Feb 2, 2026, 16:58 KST
- Samsung is weighing a Galaxy S26 price increase as component costs rise, a report said
- New leaks point to camera processing tweaks and a “pure” white option for the Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Earlier reports also flagged a new camera island, six colors and faster charging claims
Samsung Electronics is weighing a price increase for its Galaxy S26 flagship lineup as memory chip prices climb and the won stays weak, Korea JoongAng Daily reported. Roh Tae-moon, head of Samsung’s Device eXperience business, said at CES 2026 that “there will be some form of price impact from rising memory prices,” the report said. Counterpoint Research expects smartphone memory prices to rise a further 40% through the second quarter, and analyst Sohn In-joon at Heungkuk Securities said “For Samsung Electronics, the profitability gap between its memory business and its device businesses could widen further.” (Joins)
The pricing call matters because the S26 line anchors Samsung’s premium phone push, and it lands in a market where buyers already choke on four-figure devices. It also drops into a feature race with Apple and Chinese rivals such as Xiaomi, where camera gains and charging speed often do the heavy lifting.
Leaks are piling up as the launch window closes in, feeding carriers, accessory makers and the kind of customers who buy on day one. A price bump — even a modest one — would change the story from “what’s new” to “what’s it cost,” fast.
In the latest leak cycle, tipster Ice Universe wrote on X that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s main camera should cut down banding and noise in sky shots compared with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The tipster also described the white version as a bright, pure white, and SamMobile said Samsung may offer the Ultra in six colours. SamMobile also pointed to rumours of faster charging and a privacy-style screen feature that makes the display harder to read from the side. (SamMobile)
Banding is the striped pattern that can show up in smooth areas like a blue sky when processing goes wrong. A privacy display narrows the viewing angle so people nearby see less — useful on trains, less so if you share screens at work.
Earlier, Android Headlines published what it called official renders showing the S26 Ultra in cobalt violet and black, with a flatter screen, an S Pen and a raised camera island. The outlet also listed a 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip from Qualcomm, a 5,000 mAh battery and a rear camera array led by a 200-megapixel main sensor, alongside ultrawide and telephoto lenses. It said Samsung plans six colour options in total — including white, silver shadow, sky blue and pink gold — while adding that some camera details were still unconfirmed. (Android Headlines)
Charging and magnets are another pressure point. Apple’s MagSafe turned snap-on wallets and battery packs into a default expectation in the premium tier, and accessory makers have been circling Samsung’s next move.
Geeky Gadgets said the S26 Ultra could support Qi2 — a wireless charging standard that uses magnets to line up the charger — at up to 25 watts, with wired charging at 60 watts. It also pointed to a Samsung EP-P2900 magnetic charger, based on a third-party video, and treated the details as unofficial. (Geeky Gadgets)
Qi2 is meant to make wireless charging less fiddly by keeping the coils aligned. In practice, the question is whether Samsung builds magnets into the phone, leans on cases, or does something in between.
But the leaks come with the usual caveats: Samsung has not confirmed the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s design, colours or camera claims, and prototypes can change late. Pricing is even messier — memory contracts, exchange rates and launch promotions can all swing the final number, and the sticker may not match what people actually pay after trade-ins.
The picture forming is a familiar one: small design tweaks, a push on camera processing, and features aimed at everyday privacy. The new wrinkle is cost, and whether Samsung moves the Galaxy S price line up after years of holding it s
teady.
If Samsung keeps prices flat, it may need to lean harder on accessories and services to protect margins. If it raises them, it will need the S26 Ultra’s camera and charging upgrades to land cleanly when the phones finally go official.
