The launch of Samsung Galax S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra gives us a glimpse of the flagship smartphone trends that will be launched this year, especially in the flagship class. First of all, we need to address the elephant in the room right now, which is the increasing selling price.
PRICES ARE SUDDENLY INCREASING
Samsung has been warning about device prices increasing since December. Although they manufacture their own RAM and SSD modules, Samsung is still a company that also supplies the same components to other customers. The selling price of the Galaxy S26 model compared to the Galaxy S25 is as follows.
RAM/Storage Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Price Difference
(12+512 GB) RM 6599
(12+512 GB) RM 6799
(12+512 GB) RM 200
(12+1000 GB) RM 7799
(12+1000 GB) RM 7999
(16+1000 GB) RM 200
RAM/Storage Samsung Galaxy S25+ Samsung Galaxy S26+ Price Difference
(12+512 GB) RM 5599
(12+512 GB) RM 6199
(12+512 GB) RM 600
RAM/Storage Samsung Galaxy S25+ Samsung Galaxy S26+ Price Difference
(12+512 GB) RM 4599
(12+512 GB) RM 5199
(12+512 GB) RM 600
The price difference is huge, RM600 for the basic model compared to the Ultra model which is only RM200 different.
Samsung itself cannot afford the cost of increasing the price of RAM and as a result the selling price this year for even the most basic model has reached RM5000 each. We reported today that Apple still agreed to buy RAM from Samsung even though the selling price increased by 100% simply to ensure there is sufficient supply for their devices.
So it can be predicted that the same price increase will be seen on the iPhone and other Android smartphone manufacturers in the market. We are still in February and the price of RAM is expected to increase again until at least 2028. So be prepared to pay higher prices for new devices starting today.
AI AGENT
Google Gemini AI agent is Samsung's bet this year as it can perform several tasks such as buying food, kitchen items and calling services such as Uber with just voice commands. The owner himself does not need to open the application because everything is done by the agent.
Last year, generative AI was the bet of manufacturers, this year AI agents will be the main KSP because it is the most innovative feature this year. The Gemini AI agent is still quite limited in its capabilities (and is also limited to America and South Korea only) but if OpenClaw can be used as a yardstick, Gemini's capabilities will be increased in the future.
The capabilities of the Gemini AI agent shown early this morning are the ones promised and advertised by Apple Intelligence two years ago which until now have not existed. When Google, Samsung and Apple enter the arena this year, the trend of supporting AI agents will also be followed by other Android manufacturers.
ONLY LARGE STORAGE
All models this year start with 512GB storage without any 256GB offering even on the most basic Galaxy S26 model. The question is why? First of all, year after year, the sales of the Galaxy S Ultra series are the highest among the three models offered. With the RAM supply being very limited, Samsung needs to be smarter in prioritizing the model selection for the Malaysian market.
The second reason is that this year will also be the year that various AI models will be able to run directly from devices with increasingly high TOPS NPU capabilities. I personally saw the AI demos built into the device that Qulacomm has done at several Snapdragon Summits over the past four years. It is indeed faster than those that require an internet connection. Qualcomm representatives predict that in the near future, device owners will be able to choose the model they want to use without being limited to Gemini alone.
Even the smallest AI model requires a lot of storage space. Gemini alone requires 4.5 GB. This is not to mention Samsung's own AI model. Obviously 128GB is no longer compatible with current storage needs and is buried like the 65GB option a few years ago.
The trend this year is to give people fewer options. Only the most flagship models will receive at least two storage options. Smaller device manufacturers will offer a more limited model choice. This is unfortunate for users but this is the impact due to the AI war that is currently underway.
PRIVACY SCREEN
Finally, the Privacy Screen technology on the Galaxy S26 Ultra will follow other flagship Android devices. It is unique and useful. I'm sure I'm not a bigot who hates having your screen peeked at by people around you because it violates your privacy.
It's no secret that this technology will be offered to other Samsung customers and will start being used in competing devices around September. This technology is interesting enough that Apple itself is interested in using it on the new MacBook Pro in the near future.
Okay, these are 4 trends that I predict other manufacturers will follow. Not all of them are positive, but if you know what will happen in the near future, you can better plan when to buy new flagship devices for the next 2-3 years.
