Samsung is reportedly considering a Samsung Galaxy S26 price increase of KRW 149,600 (about AED 408) in South Korea from 1 October 2026. The reported rise would apply to the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra, while Samsung has not confirmed any matching increase in the UAE.
The report comes from Korean outlet Hans Economy, cited by SamMobile. It says Samsung notified local telecom carriers about the possible change, which would lift each model by the same KRW 149,600 amount.
Samsung Galaxy S26 price increase: what would change in South Korea?
The Galaxy S26 currently starts at KRW 1,254,000 in South Korea, according to The Korea Herald. A reported increase would take it to KRW 1,403,600. The Galaxy S26+ would rise from KRW 1,452,000 to KRW 1,601,600, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra would move from KRW 1,797,400 to KRW 1,947,000.
| Model | Current Korean price | Reported new price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S26 | KRW 1,254,000 | KRW 1,403,600 | KRW 149,600 |
| Galaxy S26+ | KRW 1,452,000 | KRW 1,601,600 | KRW 149,600 |
| Galaxy S26 Ultra | KRW 1,797,400 | KRW 1,947,000 | KRW 149,600 |
SamMobile attributes the possible move to rising memory-chip costs linked to demand from AI data centres. Samsung has not announced the change globally, and a reported carrier notification is not the same as a confirmed international price list.
What does the Samsung Galaxy S26 price increase mean for UAE buyers?
There is no confirmed UAE price hike at the time of writing. Samsung’s UAE store lists the Galaxy S26 Ultra from AED 5,799, with trade-in and other offers shown separately on the buy page. The Korean increase is roughly AED 408 when converted using the report’s approximate dollar figure, but that is not a forecast for the UAE price.
Samsung’s UAE launch prices and local availability can differ from Korean pricing. The company would need to update its regional store or issue a local announcement before a UAE increase could be treated as confirmed. tbreak’s Galaxy S26 UAE coverage has the launch context, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra review covers the current flagship.
Samsung has already raised the Korean launch prices compared with the Galaxy S25 series, according to The Korea Herald. Another increase would put more pressure on buyers in a market where handset upgrades are already slowing.
How much could the Galaxy S26 price increase be?
The reported increase is KRW 149,600 for each Galaxy S26 model, which is about AED 408 using the report’s approximate conversion.
When could the Galaxy S26 prices rise in South Korea?
The reported start date is 1 October 2026, although Samsung has not publicly confirmed the change.
Will Galaxy S26 prices rise in the UAE?
There is no confirmed UAE price increase. Samsung UAE currently lists the Galaxy S26 Ultra from AED 5,799, with offers shown separately.
