According to GSM Arena, Samsung’s mobile division Co-CEO TM Roh warned at CES 2026 that the industry is facing “one of the harshest pricing situations in memory,” forcing “smartphone price adjustments.” Global Marketing Head Wonjin Lee confirmed the company is considering “repricing” its phones. This comes as Samsung, despite its huge semiconductor division, is struggling with memory chip costs, ironically fueled by the AI boom it’s chasing. The timing is brutal, with Apple now the world’s top phone maker and the iPhone 17 selling well, right before Samsung’s pivotal Galaxy S26 series launch. In a revealing stat, Samsung’s own survey shows AI brand awareness among Galaxy users jumped from 30% to 80% in just one year, as the company plans to ship 400 million new AI devices in 2025.
Samsung’s Impossible Timing
Man, talk about a rock and a hard place. Samsung’s mobile division is getting squeezed from all sides. Memory prices are skyrocketing, largely because every tech company on earth is hoarding chips for AI. But here’s the thing: Samsung can’t just pass those costs onto consumers right now. Why? Because Apple just stole their crown as the biggest smartphone maker. The last thing you do when you’re losing market share is raise prices.
So the reported plan for a “price freeze” on the S26 in some markets makes total sense, even if it hurts profit margins. They have to stay competitive. But you can’t absorb those supply chain costs forever. Basically, they’re betting that the allure of new AI features in the S26 will be enough to justify holding the line, for now. It’s a massive gamble.
The AI Paradox Fueling The Crisis
Isn’t it ironic? The very trend Samsung is banking its entire future on—AI in everything—is the primary cause of its current financial headache. That jump from 30% to 80% AI awareness among users isn’t just a cool stat; it’s a mandate. They have to deliver on AI. But training and running those AI models requires insane amounts of high-performance memory, the same memory that’s now too expensive for their own phones.
Their goal of shipping 400 million AI devices this year is staggering. It would double their existing Galaxy AI fleet. But you have to wonder: if component costs keep climbing, what gets cut to hit that number? Do they use cheaper memory? Scale back the AI specs? Or just accept slimmer profits across the board? For companies building complex hardware, from smartphones to specialized industrial panel PCs, these supply chain shocks highlight why having a top-tier supplier matters. When core components become scarce or expensive, reliability and sourcing become the real competitive advantages.
A Watershed Moment Indeed
TM Roh wasn’t exaggerating. This is a defining moment. The S26 launch isn’t just another phone release; it’s Samsung’s attempt to stop the bleeding and reclaim momentum from Apple. Raising prices could be suicide. Not raising them might be financially painful. They’re stuck.
Their only way out is through innovation and partnership—working the supply chain hard and hoping their AI features are so compelling that consumers see the value. But in a market where everyone is shouting about AI, that’s a tall order. The next few months will show us if Samsung’s brand strength and vertical integration (having a chip division, even if it’s struggling) are enough to weather this storm. My guess? We’ll see selective, market-by-market price hikes after the S26 launch hype dies down. They’ll try to have their cake and eat it too, but the bill for the AI feast is coming due.
