We know when Samsung’s Galaxy S26 will arrive, along with some of the new AI features it will be bundled with. But we don’t know how much the phone will cost. Samsung is reportedly still deciding on a final price for the Galaxy S26 series.
A new leak may give us a small clue as to how Samsung plans to make up for higher RAM costs that are forcing manufacturers to raise their smartphone prices. Read on for more, and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter for instant deal updates.
Samsung Raises Storage Capacity For Galaxy S26 Series
Samsung could kill off the 128GB storage model for the Galaxy S26 series, according to an accidentally published Finnish retailer listing spotted by the tech site SuomiMobiili.
The model numbers, colors and, most importantly, storage capacities were captured by the publication. What is immediately clear is that there’s no mention of a 128GB storage option for either the base Galaxy S26 or Galaxy S26 Plus, unlike their predecessors.
If accurate, this would be the first time Samsung has made the 256GB model the basic and cheapest option for its Galaxy S line. The point of a low-storage device is to make it more financially accessible, but it also helps with marketing because Samsung can promote the device price as “starting at” a lower price point.
No 128GB Galaxy S26: A Smart Way To Raise Prices
Because of the ongoing RAM price surge, Samsung has been grappling with how to raise device prices without scaring off customers. The company has been open about “repricing” its products in 2026 in a couple of interviews that, to me, looked like soft-launching higher prices. Previous reports from iNews24 and Maeil Business suggested the Korean company would cut back on marketing spend or raise the cost of the Galaxy A-series to keep Galaxy S26 prices flat.
But killing off the 128GB model gives Samsung an opportunity to raise the entry-level Galaxy S26 price, too. A 256GB storage option naturally will cost more than the 128GB device, so the starting price will likely be higher no matter what. Samsung can tell its customers that yes, the Galaxy S26 costs more, but they also get more for their money.
Why would Samsung ditch its cheapest Galaxy S26 model if the goal is save money? Perhaps the financials don’t make sense for its cheapest 128GB model in the midst of squeezed component prices. The margins may be too tight to justify continuing to produce a relatively cheap flagship variant.
Raising the base storage model also gives the company a way to kill off its double storage perk, which typically bumps up from 128GB to 256GB for free if buyers pre-order.
Previous reports have suggested this deal was on the chopping block as Samsung looks for ways to save money. By starting the Galaxy S26 at 256GB and removing the free upgrade to 512GB, Samsung effectively eliminates a major marketing expense while ensuring every single buyer starts at a higher, more profitable price point. The death of the 128GB storage option might be a big clue of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 pricing plans.