What you need to know
- Samsung has reportedly increased prices across the board for its tablets, which are seemingly among the hardest hit in the U.S.
- The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (1TB) sees the largest jump, rising $280 to $1,899.
- Samsung was also spotted raising its Galaxy Z Flip 7 price to $1,299 from $1,219, as well as the S25 FE and S25 Edge.
Samsung was just spotted raising prices across several Galaxy devices in the U.S., and it did so without so much as a warning first.
A report by PhoneArena states that Samsung has been raising prices across the board for a wide range of products and series in the U.S. this week. Many of the company’s price hikes fall anywhere from ~$50 to nearly $200 more for certain models. Some of the most substantial price increases have hit Samsung’s tablets, such as the Galaxy Tab S11, which is now sitting at $899 (128GB), $999 (256GB), and $1,199 (512GB). These prices are vastly different from their original price points, as the device was originally $799, $859, and $979, respectively.
What’ll probably gouge consumers the most will be the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. The publication states that its 1TB variant has risen by nearly $280, going from $1,619 to $1,899. Its other two variations, its 256GB and 512GB, are a little more tame (I guess), as those have risen to $1,299 and $1,499 from $1,199 and $1,319.
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The Galaxy Tab S10 series was also involved in these price hikes, and those changes are as follows:
- Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, 256GB: $1,099 (old: $999)
- Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, 512GB: $1,299 (old: $1,119)
- Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, 128GB: $399 (old: $349)
- Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, 256GB: $489 (old: $419)
- Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus, 128GB: $699 (old: $649)
- Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus, 256GB: $819 (old: $749)
- Galaxy Tab S10 FE, 128GB: $549 (old: $499)
- Galaxy Tab S10 FE, 256GB: $669 (old: $569)
The publication highlights the Galaxy Tab A11 Plus variants, which see smaller increases. The price has risen from $249 and $309 for its 128GB and 256GB models to $299.99 and $379.99, respectively. However, the A11 Plus 5G climbs to $329 from $279.
While Samsung really took a swing at its tablets this week, there are a few phones getting the same treatment. A recognizable foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, is jumping from $1,219 to $1,299 for its 512GB option. On the other hand, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge experiment is now $1,299 (512GB), an $80 hike. The S25 FE sees a ~$40 increase to $749.
Scary times
Something is interesting about seeing price hikes for older models, and that’s the questions that arise regarding its upcoming Galaxy products. PhoneArena also touched on this note, and it only makes sense when you remember it has new foldables headed to the market this year. Originally, we weren’t anticipating a price increase for the Galaxy Z Flip 8 this year, since the company added $100 to the Flip 6. Though minimal, the Flip 7 has still risen to $1,299 for its 512GB option.
It’s too soon to tell, but there’s a chance this new price point could be the starting line for the Flip 8. Worst-case scenario? We see another hike. Then, there’s the idea of another Galaxy Tab line, specifically, the Tab S12 series. When you look at that Tab S11 Ultra hike, the next version seems a whole lot more daunting on the wallet.
Samsung’s not the only one in the hot seat right now, as even Motorola’s been reportedly bumping up the prices of its budget phones. Ars Technica reports that Moto G 2026 has risen by roughly 50% to $300. Even the Moto G Power is $400 after it originally debuted at $299. AI is seemingly to blame, as companies investing in such software soak up all the memory chips that phone makers would need.
Android Central has reached out to Samsung about these price hikes and will update this article if we hear back.
Android Central’s Take
I have an issue with this for more reasons than one. On the surface, and as you’d expect, no one wants to see price increases. Sure, we know that the industry has been put through the wringer due to AI and the burden it’s placed on RAM, etc. But what we get into is the moving of the goal posts. By that, I mean, all of a sudden, the
“bar” or the “starting price” isn’t what it used to be—it’s higher. That’s because the older models, likely running some slightly “out-of-date” tech, cost more. So, if the older products cost more, wouldn’t the newer model with fancier stuff also jump? Of course, the prices could just stay the same with this higher price point, but they also could not.
At what point is the price just too high for a tablet or a phone?
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