This year, like every year, Samsung’s upcoming flagship phones have been tipped extensively, with rumors revealing many of the likely specs and features, as well as commenting on possible pricing and release dates.
So we now have a good idea of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, though when it comes to prices and the release date in particular, not all of the rumors agree.
But having looked through all of them – and factoring in Samsung’s typical launch timings – I’ve predicted when I think the Galaxy S26 series will be announced, when pre-orders will open, when the phones will ship, and how much they will cost.
Samsung Galaxy S26 announcement date predictions
Various sources have put forward possible Samsung Galaxy S26 announcement dates, with the consensus being that this series will be unveiled sometime between January and March, but that’s quite a wide window.
Some early reports suggested the phones had been delayed from Samsung’s typical January launch window to March, due perhaps to a rumored decision to scrap the Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge and replace it with a Galaxy S26 Plus – requiring more time for Samsung to prep the replacement model.
That reasoning makes sense, but more recent rumors have been a bit more optimistic, as for example we heard in early November that the Samsung Galaxy S26 series might be unveiled in late January.
However, the most recent claimed leaks all agree on a February launch – with multiple sources getting more specific, and saying the Samsung Galaxy S26 series will be announced on February 25.
We’ve heard this from at least three different sources now, including some very credible ones, so I’d be surprised if February 25 wasn’t the announcement date. That would still be later than normal, but if Samsung had to develop a Plus model at short notice, that would make sense.
Samsung Galaxy S26 pre-order date predictions
There aren’t any leaks or rumors about when pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S26 series will open. But given that in past years pre-orders have generally opened on the announcement day, there’s no reason to think it would be any different this year.
So assuming the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is announced on February 25 – as I predict it will be – pre-orders will probably also start on that day.
Samsung Galaxy S26 on-sale date predictions
There also aren’t any on-sale date rumors for the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, but in recent years the company has always shipped these phones around two weeks after pre-orders opened; give or take a couple of days.
So I expect the same will be the case here, with the Samsung Galaxy S26 series arriving on doorsteps somewhere in the region of 12 to 16 days after pre-orders open.
Given my predictions above, that would mean an on-sale date of between March 9 and March 13.
Samsung Galaxy S26 price predictions
Predicting the price of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is tricky, because while multiple sources suggest that these phones will have the same prices as their predecessors, some others point to a price increase, with one more specifically saying to expect a price increase of roughly $30 / £22 / AU$45 to $50 / £37 / AU$75.
For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S25 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra starts at $1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,149, so that’s the minimum I’d think you’ll have to pay for their successors.
But will the prices rise? We’ve heard recent leaks pointing in both directions, so it’s hard to say. But if I had to guess, I’d say they probably will – though perhaps only a small amount, in line with the $30 / £22 / AU$45 to $50 / £37 / AU$75 claim above.
Samsung will probably be reluctant to push prices up too much, but at the same time, a combination of tariffs and rising memory prices mean these phones will almost certainly cost more to make than the Samsung Galaxy S25 series did at launch.
Still, there’s some hope that prices won’t increase, especially as Samsung Galaxy S26 specs leaks suggest these phones might only be a modest upgrade.
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