Samsung appears to be in the midst of a rather risky financial balancing act in the tech world as it enters 2026. While showcasing its revolutionary three-piece foldable phone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, the company is simultaneously trying to control the costs of its main flagship series, the Galaxy S26.
Galaxy Z TriFold: Is it Incurring Losses with Every Sale?
According to the South Korean news source The Bell, Samsung has actually launched the Galaxy Z TriFold, considered an engineering marvel, as a “loss-leader.” The device’s selling price of approximately $2,500 (3,594,000 won) is reportedly below its production cost.
Samsung’s “big decision” is said to have been made not to profit from the product, but to demonstrate market leadership and allow early adopters to try the technology. The fact that the device has already sold out within minutes in every market where it was launched with limited stock shows that the intrigue-generating aspect of the strategy is working.
The Galaxy S26 series, expected to be unveiled in February 2026 (or early March according to some sources), still lacks finalized pricing. Samsung faces two main challenges:
- The Jump in Memory (RAM) Prices: Increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI) has driven manufacturers towards high-bandwidth memory (HBM) instead of standard RAM. This has significantly increased mobile DRAM prices.
- Snapdragon Cost: The high cost of Snapdragon chips, chosen as the main processor for the series, is narrowing profit margins.
Samsung initially planned to discontinue the “Plus” model and replace it with a slimmer “Edge” model. However, the unexpectedly low sales figures for the Galaxy S25 Edge (1.3 million units) led Samsung to abandon this radical change and return to the traditional S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra trio.
- Galaxy Z TriFold: Expected to be released in the North American market in the first quarter of 2026.
- Galaxy S26 Series: The big unpacked event is expected to take place in mid-February, with sales starting in early March.
