Samsung Electronics on Wednesday and Thursday unveiled its flagship Galaxy S26 lineup, introducing expanded artificial intelligence features and selective price increases in key markets as rising memory chip costs reshape the smartphone landscape.
The new devices, which arrive in stores March 11, reflect mounting pressure on consumer electronics manufacturers as a global boom in AI infrastructure absorbs memory supply and drives up component prices.
Samsung raised prices for some Galaxy S26 models in the United States and South Korea while keeping the Ultra variant unchanged.
In the United States, the base Galaxy S26 will sell for $899, up 4.7% from its predecessor, while the S26 Plus is priced at $1,099, a 10% increase.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra remains at $1,299.
In South Korea, Samsung increased the base model’s price by 8.6%.
The adjustments come as memory chip costs surge, with market tracker TrendForce projecting conventional DRAM contract prices to jump 90% to 95% in the first quarter compared with the previous quarter.
Samsung last month warned of a worsening chip shortage fueled by the AI boom, which has lifted memory demand but pressured margins in its smartphone and display businesses.
Samsung is positioning AI as a central feature of the S26 series, integrating Google’s Gemini technology, an upgraded Bixby assistant and tools from Perplexity.
“This is the agentic AI phone,” said TM Roh, Samsung’s CEO of device experience, at a showcase in San Francisco.
The company said the devices will function as multipurpose agents designed to retrieve information and content on behalf of users.
Alongside AI enhancements, Samsung introduced a built-in “Privacy Display” feature on the Ultra model that limits side viewing angles, making the screen appear off to bystanders.
Analyst Paolo Pescatore described Privacy Display as “the sleeper hit, a standout feature in a sea of AI noise.”
The launch follows Samsung’s loss of global smartphone leadership last year to Apple, which has benefited from strong iPhone demand in China and India even as broader questions persist about how much AI features influence consumer purchasing decisions.