Samsung Electronics has officially entered the premium smartphone market with the launch of its next-generation Galaxy Z series, introducing devices that exceed the $3000 price point. The top-tier Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 1TB model is priced at 3,451,800 won, marking the first time a smartphone has surpassed the 3 million won threshold. However, the actual price increase is considered minimal compared to market expectations of up to an 18% hike.
At the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event held in London on July 22, Samsung revealed the pricing for the new Galaxy Z series. For the 16GB memory and 1TB storage models, the prices are as follows: Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra at 3,451,800 won and Galaxy Z Fold8 at 3,152,600 won. The introduction of a smartphone priced at over 3 million won has been officially confirmed. Additionally, for the 12GB memory and 256GB storage models, the prices are: Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra at 2,577,300 won, Galaxy Z Fold8 at 2,278,100 won, and Galaxy Z Flip8 at 1,683,000 won. For the 12GB memory and 512GB storage models, the prices are: Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra at 2,830,300 won, Galaxy Z Fold8 at 2,531,100 won, and Galaxy Z Flip8 at 1,936,000 won.
The price increase for the top-tier Fold8 Ultra 1TB model is the most significant, rising approximately 10.4% (32,450 won) compared to the previous model, the Fold7, which saw a price increase in April. However, compared to the price before the increase, the rise is 17.6% (51,810 won). The Fold8 Ultra 512GB and 256GB models have each increased by 198,000 won compared to the previous model (based on the Fold7's April selling price), and the Flip8 has also seen a rise of 198,000 won across all models.
This price increase reflects the rising costs of key components, including memory. Recently, prices for DRAM and NAND flash have surged, increasing the cost burden for smartphone manufacturers. Additionally, improvements in titanium materials, display technology, and AI features have made price hikes unavoidable.
Industry analysts have noted that the actual price increases are not as steep as initially anticipated. Originally, it was expected that the price would rise by around 300,000 won due to the increase in prices for key components like memory semiconductors and displays, along with the popularity of foldable phones. However, Samsung managed to limit the price increases for most models to around 198,000 won, easing some of the consumer burden. Market research firm Counterpoint Research has projected that the average selling price (ASP) of global foldable phones will rise by approximately 18% this year compared to the previous year.
This situation can be attributed to Samsung's economies of scale and cost-cutting efforts. The company has leveraged its supply chain from subsidiaries like Samsung Display and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and its accumulated production know-how from seven years of foldable phone manufacturing has helped offset some of the cost increases. Furthermore, by combining its Galaxy AI with Google Gemini, Samsung has enhanced its platform competitiveness while minimizing hardware cost burdens.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.