What you need to know
- Reports claim that the Galaxy S26 series has exceeded Samsung’s sales expectations as the company holds “Appreciation Events” and more.
- Sales of the Galaxy S26 have increased “three times” more than in recent history, and it is likely consumer fear of a more expensive Galaxy S27 that has generated this boost.
- Samsung reported a huge increase in popularity and production of the Galaxy S26 earlier this year, but with rising DRAM and NAND prices, the cost
We are stuck in a middle ground between the Galaxy S26 series and the upcoming Galaxy S27 series. These series are said to influence each other, as fears grow over higher prices for Samsung’s next wave.
At the end of this week, ETNews (Korean) reported that Samsung is seeing another surge in Galaxy S26 sales (via SamMobile). The publication’s sources claim that Samsung saw significant domestic and global sales performance in June. What’s more, the company reportedly organized a “Thank You Festival” for consumers. If a Galaxy S26 series device was purchased, consumers would receive 20% cashback “in Onnuri digital gift certificates.”
Another contributing factor is Samsung’s website, along with several “open marketplaces,” which have seen sales “three times” higher than before. As a result, Samsung is increasing its production of the Galaxy S26 to 1.5 million units up from the 1 million units previously planned for July. a report of EInfoMax adds that domestic sales of the Galaxy S26 have surpassed 3 million units for Samsung in 117 days, breaking the records of the Galaxy S25 (via GSMArena).
With everything going on in the phone market, it has been alleged that this growing demand for the Galaxy S26 is due to concerns about the more expensive Galaxy S27. Memory shortages are (of course) a major contributor to these concerns.
A changing market
The popularity of the Galaxy S26 series was discussed several times, leading to a production boost reported in April. In the spring, Samsung increased its production of the Galaxy S26 Ultra by 200,000 units (1.5 million total in April) and its base S26 model by 500,000 units. The Plus model was soon retired. Samsung sold approximately 100,000 units, as the other two phones were more sought after.
We’re not entirely sure what’s going on with the Galaxy S27, but some rumors say so could stay soft to avoid ridiculous prices. Certain updates were supposedly being left on the back burner, such as the series’ display and cameras. It’s still early and things can change. Rising memory prices are affecting everyone. Companies are struggling to find ways to maintain profits without suffering losses.
Recent Omdia research suggests Budget phones could be affectedthanks to the high prices of DRAM and NAND. The market could see many fewer budget phones as higher-priced devices give companies more freedom to make cost-conscious changes.
Android Central’s opinion
The Galaxy S26 series is a popular series for Samsung, coming off the back of the popular Galaxy S25. Needless to say, the S26 Ultra also leads the charge by a mile. But the change I’m seeing in the way people shop is a reflection of the changing times. If the price of a phone is “more acceptable” right now and we run the risk of them disappearing in the future, why not buy it now? Why not buy now and see where the market takes us later? At least, right now, we’re not “suffering” as much. This is all subjective, as we all have our limits on what we would like to pay.
