Galaxy S27 Ultra price hike looks unavoidable as component prices continue to spiral

The Galaxy S27 series is still several months away, but the first price hike rumor has already arrived. According to tipster kro on X, the Galaxy S27 Ultra could cost up to 150,000 won more than its predecessor in South Korea, which works out to around $104.

Of course, a Korean price increase does not guarantee an identical hike in the US or other markets. However, the claim is not difficult to believe considering Samsung’s recent warnings about rising component costs.

Why a price hike looks increasingly possible

Samsung recently said that memory shortages are already hurting its mobile business, while demand from AI data centers continues to drive component prices higher. The company expects the shortage to worsen in 2027 and persist through 2028.

RAM is not the only problem. NAND storage prices have also been climbing rapidly, while Qualcomm recently announced plans to raise chip prices starting September 1. That increase would likely affect the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro for Galaxy, which is expected to power the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

We are already seeing signs of this in Samsung’s recent launches, and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is perhaps the clearest example. The new foldable is almost identical to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 in several key areas, including its cameras, battery capacity, and charging speeds, yet it arrived with a $100 higher starting price. According to kro, Samsung is adjusting component costs to protect its profit margins. The rest of the Galaxy S27 lineup could also face more aggressive cost-cutting if memory prices continue to climb.

At least some meaningful upgrades are rumored

A higher price will be difficult to swallow, but the Galaxy S27 Ultra could finally address a few long-standing complaints. Recent reports suggest Samsung may use a battery rated at 5,534mAh, likely advertised as 5,700mAh. It would be the first meaningful capacity increase for the Ultra series after years of sticking to 5,000mAh, and silicon-carbon technology could help Samsung fit the larger cell without making the phone excessively thick.

Camera upgrades may include new 50MP ultrawide and telephoto sensors, alongside a 16MP square selfie sensor capable of capturing portrait and landscape shots without rotating the phone. Samsung is also rumored to be reconsidering the dedicated 3x telephoto camera, although it remains unclear how the company would handle intermediate zoom levels.

None of this has been confirmed, and the Galaxy S27 Ultra is still deep in development. I will believe the upgrades when I see them, but Samsung may need every one of them if it plans to charge buyers even more next year. A $100 increase similar to the one applied to the Galaxy Z Flip 8 would push the Ultra’s US starting price to $1,399.99, although regional pricing and component costs could still change before its expected early 2027 launch.