A fresh Samsung Galaxy S26 leak points to a launch date — and brings good news on pricing

Samsung Galaxy S25 home screen
Get ready for a Galaxy S25 replacement in 2026 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

  • The Samsung Galaxy S26 launch date may have leaked
  • A price freeze from 2025 is also being reported
  • Three flagships are expected to arrive early next year

Samsung Galaxy S26 leaks are now starting to appear fairly regularly, and the latest unofficial news we have on this phone series points to a specific launch date – while also offering some reassurance over pricing.

According to reports in the South Korean press (via well-known tipster @UniverseIce), we can expect to see the Galaxy S26 phones show up on Wednesday, February 25, with a launch event due to be held in San Francisco.

The phones are then apparently going to go on sale in early March. This matches up with previous rumors that pointed to an unveiling in February and then shipping in March, which makes us more inclined to believe this will indeed be what happens.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 handsets were launched in January 2025 of course, but it seems that certain production problems – including the decision to scrap the Galaxy S26 Edge – have meant Samsung's 2026 schedule will be pushed back.

The same pricing

While it's disappointing to have to wait an extra month or two for the Galaxy S26 series, there is some promising news on the pricing front, from Maeil Business in South Korea (this time via well-known industry source @jukan05).

The headline news is that pricing will remain unchanged for the Galaxy S26, in order to stay competitive. Earlier reports had suggested price rises, because of pressures related to tariffs, manufacturing costs, and currency fluctuations.

If prices are indeed frozen, the three new phones will cost you from $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 (standard), $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 (Plus), and $1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,149 (Ultra), matching the starting prices of the phones launched in 2025.

What's more, the report says this consistency in pricing between 2025 and 2026 might extend to Samsung's foldables later in the year too – with successors to both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 expected.


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David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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