Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Leaked Before Launch, New Price Rise? – Forbes

Samsung is preparing to unveil the Galaxy S26 series next month, but leaked documents and local reports have already confirmed model names and raised fresh questions about pricing. A Samsung Colombia PDF lists three models—Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra—while South Korean outlets report the company is trying to keep the Ultra below a 2,000,000 won ceiling (~$1,357). The S26 launch is expected at Galaxy Unpacked on February 25, 2026, with a likely retail date around March 11, 2026. Samsung executives and industry sources warn that rising memory costs may force adjustments to discounts or retail prices.

• Samsung Colombia’s promotional PDF lists the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra as qualifying models for a 0% interest promotion, marking the first official model naming ahead of the Feb. 25, 2026 Unpacked event.
• Local report from iNews24 says Samsung aims to cap the S26 Ultra near 2,000,000 won (about $1,357), compared with the S25 Ultra launch price of $1,299.
• Earlier ET News reporting suggested a possible price increase of 44,000–88,000 won ($31–$62) per model; in U.S. terms this would map roughly to $859 (base), $1,059 (Plus), $1,359 (Ultra).
• Samsung is reportedly evaluating cuts to marketing spend, changes to trade-in/subsidy programs, and rethinking the popular double-storage pre-order bonus to offset memory-price pressure.
• Screen-size rumors indicate the S26 Plus will use a 6.66-inch panel (slightly smaller than the S25 Plus’s 6.7-inch), likely borrowing design choices from the cancelled S26 Edge program.
• Unpacked timing: event set for 7:00 PM CET (10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET) on Feb. 25, 2026; European on-sale date reported as March 11, 2026.

Background

The Galaxy S line is Samsung’s marquee smartphone family and each generational shift draws intense scrutiny for design, features and price. Over the past decade Samsung has alternated between aggressive promotion (high trade-in values, frequent pre-order bonuses) and tighter margins. In 2026 the global memory shortage and sharp component-price inflation have created renewed cost pressure across the mobile industry, prompting manufacturers to consider price adjustments or margin sacrifices.

Samsung’s product naming has also been in flux; rumors earlier in the cycle proposed renaming the base model to “Pro” and introducing an S26 Edge variant. According to reporting and leaked retailer documents, the company reversed that approach after weak demand for Edge-shaped variants in previous launches, reverting to a conventional three-model line: base, Plus, Ultra. That move reduces SKU complexity but also signals a conservative market approach.

Main Event

The immediate trigger for the latest coverage was a promotional PDF from Samsung Colombia that explicitly lists Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra in a 0% interest marketing offer. The document was first noted by SamMobile and widely circulated by tech outlets, effectively confirming the three-model lineup ahead of Samsung’s formal announcement. The leak does not include full specifications, but model names and the promotional terms were visible in the file.

Separately, a Korean report from iNews24—citing an internal Samsung source—says the company is trying to hold the S26 Ultra’s starting retail price at or below 2,000,000 won (about $1,357). That figure is slightly above the S25 Ultra’s $1,299 launch price but below the upper-bound conversions that emerged in earlier reporting. ET News had indicated the company was weighing a across-the-board increase of roughly 44,000–88,000 won per model, which would translate into the U.S. price tiers referenced above.

Companies reportedly under consideration include reducing marketing budgets and scaling back trade-in/subsidy programs to avoid passing costs directly to consumers. iNews24 also suggested Samsung may curtail its “double storage” pre-order bonus—an expensive promotion that duplicates storage capacity for early buyers—to mitigate the higher bill from memory components amid a constrained supply environment.

Analysis & Implications

The immediate commercial implication is straightforward: memory-price inflation forces a choice between narrower margins or higher retail prices. Samsung’s reported willingness to “bear the burden of exchange rates” points to a short-term mitigation strategy where the company absorbs some cost increases to preserve headline prices for consumers. That preserves sales momentum but compresses profitability at a time when other parts of the supply chain are also under stress.

If Samsung reduces trade-in values or trims pre-order incentives, the effective out-of-pocket cost for buyers will rise even if MSRP remains stable. Historically, Samsung has used generous trade-ins to maintain upgrade cycles and keep device turnover high; dialing those back could reduce activation volumes and alter competitive dynamics with Apple and Chinese OEMs that rely on different promotional mixes.

Geography matters: a 2,000,000 won price cap equates to roughly $1,357, but exchange rates and regional tax structures mean U.S., European and Asian prices may diverge. Retailers and carriers will decide how much of any cost pressure to pass on in each market. For Samsung’s enterprise and high-end consumer base, small price shifts can influence upgrade timing; for price-sensitive buyers, subsidy reductions may be more consequential than headline MSRPs.

Comparison & Data

The table summarizes confirmed launch-price history and early S26 reporting. While the S25 Ultra’s $1,299 launch price is factual, the S26 Ultra figure is a reported cap from iNews24 and reflects company discussions rather than a finished MSRP. Screen-size reporting for the S26 Plus (6.66 inches) comes via The Elec; Samsung reportedly chose a panel more like the previous generation rather than the cancelled Edge panel.

Reactions & Quotes

Samsung executives have publicly acknowledged component-price pressure. At CES 2026 Samsung co-CEO TM Roh spoke to the media about industry-wide cost challenges.

“No company is immune” to the current memory-price pressures, and price adjustments may be “inevitable.”

TM Roh / Samsung Electronics (quoted to Reuters)

The company’s global marketing head also warned that rising memory costs will affect product pricing and distribution of costs between company and consumer.

“When memory prices go up, it’s going to have an impact on the price of products,”

Wonjin Lee / Samsung (quoted to Bloomberg)

Internally, a Samsung source told local outlet iNews24 the company was “doing their best” to keep the Ultra under 2,000,000 won. That comment frames the corporate balancing act between margin and market share.

“Doing their best” to ensure the S26 Ultra remains below a 2,000,000-won ceiling.

Samsung insider (quoted to iNews24)

Unconfirmed

• Final U.S. MSRPs for the Galaxy S26 family have not been published; reported U.S. equivalents are conversions and not confirmed retail prices.
• Whether Samsung will permanently drop the double-storage pre-order bonus is unverified; reporting indicates it is under consideration but no formal policy change has been announced.
• The claim that March 11 will be the global on-sale date applies to Europe in reporting and may not reflect all regional rollouts.
• Details about reduced trade-in values and specific marketing-budget cuts have not been released as official Samsung policy.

Bottom Line

Leaked promotional material and reporting from Korean and international outlets have fast-tracked confirmation of the Galaxy S26 model names and focused attention on an evolving pricing strategy. Samsung appears to be weighing absorbing some currency- and component-cost pressure to preserve headline prices while simultaneously preparing fallback options such as reduced subsidies and smaller pre-order incentives.

For buyers, the practical effects may be less visible as MSRP shifts if Samsung offsets costs with lower trade-in values or fewer promotions; conversely, if the company chooses to pass costs to consumers, expect higher list prices or narrower discount windows. Watch Samsung’s Feb. 25, 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event and the subsequent March on-sale window for final MSRPs and official promotional details.

Sources

• Forbes — media reporting (original linked story)
• iNews24 — Korean media report citing a Samsung insider
• ET News — Korean tech reporting on potential price shifts
• SamMobile — tech site that noted the Samsung Colombia PDF leak
• The Elec — Korean industry outlet reporting display-size details
• Reuters — international news agency covering executive comments
• Bloomberg — business press coverage of Samsung executive statements
• Dealabs — community reporting on event timing and retail windows