Phone Price Increase 2026: Why Samsung, Google and Apple Just Raised Prices (and How to Save)

The phone price increase of 2026 is real, and it landed fast: in the first days of October, Samsung raised US prices on the Galaxy S26, S26 Ultra and four A-series models, Google quietly added $100 to the Pixel 10a, and Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro had already launched at $100 more than the model it replaced. The main reason cited across the industry is a shortage of memory chips — nicknamed “RAMageddon” — that has pushed up the cost of the RAM and storage inside every phone. The good news: you can still avoid paying the new prices by buying during sales, choosing last year’s flagship, or buying a certified refurbished or carefully checked used phone.

Below you’ll find the old and new prices side by side, a plain-English explanation of the memory shortage, what has been reported about production cuts, and a practical guide to saving money without getting burned on a used phone. All prices are US prices as of 9 October 2026.

Which phones went up in price in October 2026?

Samsung made the biggest move. TechRepublic reported the Galaxy S26 and S26 Ultra increases on 2 October, and 9to5Google reported the A-series increases the same day. Google’s Pixel 10a change was spotted by GSMArena on 3 October. Here is the full picture:

A few details are worth knowing. Samsung gave no official reason for the increases; the coverage points to rising DRAM and NAND costs. Google changed the Pixel 10a price on the Google Store in the US without an announcement. Apple’s case is slightly different: the iPhone 18 Pro launched in September at a higher starting price, and at the same event Apple also raised prices on the iPhone 16, 17, iPhone Air and 17e that it still sells. The Galaxy S26 FE is the notable exception — its price did not change.

The biggest single jump is the 1TB Galaxy S26 Ultra, up $200, which fits the memory-cost explanation: the more storage a phone has, the more expensive memory chips it contains.

Why are phone prices going up? “RAMageddon” explained

Every smartphone contains two kinds of memory: RAM (the working memory that apps run in, usually LPDDR5X in today’s flagships) and NAND flash storage (where your photos and apps live). Both are made by a small number of chip manufacturers, and in 2026 demand has outstripped supply. Industry analysts and the tech press have taken to calling it “RAMageddon”.

How big is the squeeze? According to a report by Korea’s Money Today, relayed by GSMArena on 8 October, the price of a 12GB LPDDR5X memory package — the amount used in many flagship phones — has risen by 175%. When a single component jumps that much, phone makers have three options: absorb the cost, cut the specs, or raise prices. In 2026 they are doing all three.

• Raising prices: the Samsung, Google and Apple examples in the table above.
• Cutting specs: research firm GlobalData noted that Google cut the base RAM of the Pixel 11 Pro from 16GB to 12GB while still raising its price.
• Making fewer phones: see the reported production cuts below.

GlobalData also said Samsung expects memory to stay tight through 2028. In other words, this is not a one-week blip, and waiting a month for prices to fall back is unlikely to work.

Are Samsung and Apple cutting phone production?

Two reports this week suggest manufacturers are also trimming output. Neither has been confirmed by the companies, so treat them as reported, not official.

• Samsung (reported): Money Today, via GSMArena on 8 October, reported that Samsung asked suppliers to cut fourth-quarter output by 20–30%, with 2026 shipments estimated at around 200 million phones against about 270 million previously. The memory price rise was cited as the cause.
• Apple (reported): Nikkei, via GSMArena on 9 October, reported that Apple cut iPhone 18 Pro component orders by up to 15% for October, citing weak demand.

Weaker demand after a price rise is not surprising. For buyers, the practical takeaway is that the price you see today on a new flagship is the new normal, and the real savings are now in sales, older models and the second-hand market.

Will phone prices go down again?

Nobody can promise that. What we can say, as of 9 October 2026, is that none of the three companies has signalled a reversal, and Samsung reportedly expects memory supply to remain tight for years. Temporary discounts are a different story: retailers are still running deep sales, as this week’s Amazon event shows. The list price may stay high while the price you actually pay drops during promotions.

How to save money on a phone in 2026

You have five realistic options, ranked roughly from “newest phone” to “biggest saving”.

1. Buy during a sale (like this week’s Prime deals)

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days ran this week, and TechRadar’s live coverage of US deals listed some discounts that more than cancel out the October increases:

Deals like these sell out or end without notice, so check the current price before you assume it is still available. And be careful with “deal” messages arriving by text after the sale — scammers copy Prime promotions. Our guide to Amazon scam texts after Prime Day shows what they look like.

2. Choose last year’s flagship

When a new model launches, the previous one often drops in price or appears in large numbers on the used market. The Galaxy S25 series, for example, is already receiving One UI 9 (see our One UI 9 rollout tracker), and the iPhone 17 Pro was discontinued by Apple in September, so it is now sold by carriers, retailers and private sellers. For most people, a one-year-old flagship feels almost identical to the new one in daily use.

3. Pick the model that didn’t go up

The Galaxy S26 FE kept its $699.99 price and ships with One UI 9, with Samsung promising seven OS upgrades and seven years of security patches. If you were considering an S26 at its new $999.99 price, the FE is now a much stronger value.

4. Buy certified refurbished

Manufacturer and carrier refurbished programs inspect the phone, replace worn parts where needed and usually include a warranty. You pay more than for a private sale but less than new. Make sure “refurbished” really means certified — our guide to spotting a fake refurbished iPhone covers the warning signs, and they apply to Android too.

5. Buy a verified used phone

This is where the biggest savings are — and the biggest risks. Higher new-phone prices make used phones more attractive, which also makes them more attractive to thieves and scammers. A phone that is blacklisted, still financed or locked to someone else’s account can be blocked weeks after you buy it, and you are unlikely to get your money back. Checking the phone before you pay takes a few minutes and removes most of that risk.

Used phone check checklist: what to verify before you pay

Whether you’re buying an S25, an iPhone 17 Pro or a Pixel 10, work through these steps before money changes hands:

1. Get the IMEI. Ask the seller for it, or dial *#06# on the phone. Our guide on how to find an IMEI number lists every method.
2. Confirm the exact model. Run a free All-in-one basic info check to confirm the model, storage and, for iPhones, Find My status. For Galaxy phones, a Samsung info check confirms the model number and region — important, because a cheap “S26 Ultra” could turn out to be a different model or a different regional version.
3. Check the blacklist. A GSMA blacklist check shows whether the IMEI has been reported lost or stolen. Learn what a hit means in our blacklisted IMEI guide.
4. Check the carrier lock. Many US phones are sold on installment plans. A carrier and SIM-lock check tells you whether the phone is tied to a network. See carrier-locked vs unlocked for why it matters.
5. Match the IMEI. The number on the screen (*#06#), in Settings and on any box or receipt should all match the one you checked.
6. Watch the reset. The seller should sign out of their Apple or Google/Samsung account and factory-reset the phone in front of you. If it asks for the previous owner’s account after reset, walk away.
7. Test the hardware. Screen, cameras, speakers, microphones, charging port, biometrics and battery health.
8. Pay safely. Meet in a public place, avoid wire transfers and gift cards, and keep a written receipt with the IMEI on it.

For a step-by-step version for each brand, see our used Samsung checklist and used iPhone checklist. If you’re buying through an online marketplace, read how to buy a phone on Marketplace safely too.

What to do now

• If you need a phone this month: compare the sale price, not the list price. A discounted S26 Ultra or Pixel 11 Pro can cost less today than before the increases.
• If you want a Samsung on a budget: the Galaxy S26 FE at an unchanged $699.99 is the safest new buy; a checked used S25 is the cheapest route to a flagship.
• If you want an iPhone: a used iPhone 17 Pro is the obvious way to dodge the $1,199 starting price of the 18 Pro. Read our iPhone trade-in value guide before selling your old one.
• If you’re selling: higher new prices support used values, so it can be a good time to sell. Back up and wipe your phone properly first.
• If you’re buying used: never skip the IMEI, blacklist and carrier checks. They cost far less than a phone that stops working next month.

For a broader comparison of what to buy, see our best phone of 2026 guide. We’ll update this page if prices change again.