Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
- A new report suggests the Galaxy S9 may see a significant price bump in certain markets.
- Meanwhile, rumors suggest the device may not have many major feature updates.
- Samsung has confirmed the device will be announced in late February.
Samsung's launch event for the Galaxy S9 is approximately three weeks away, and it sounds like the company's next big phone will be more expensive than last year's Galaxy S8.
A new report from Tech Radar suggests the Galaxy S9 may cost £769 in the UK, which is £100 more expensive than the Galaxy S8 sold for when it released in 2017. The Galaxy S8 currently sells for approximately $750 in the US.
Price increases are to be expected, but this would be a major bump for a device that likely won't have many flashy upgrades. While the Galaxy S9+ may feature a dual-camera setup, the feature isn't new for Samsung, having been introduced on the Galaxy Note 8 in September 2017.
The larger Galaxy S9+, which will likely be even more expensive than the standard Galaxy S9, may also include a larger battery and more memory. Samsung has teased the Galaxy S9 will have a focus on camera upgrades and reports suggest the device may introduce a super slow-motion camera feature. Still, no rumors about the device explain the possible price increase.
If true, Samsung remains in step with the steady price increase on premium smartphones. The Korean manufacturer has been notorious for its eye-watering smartphone price tags but was beat out by Apple's iPhone X, which released with a $1,000 starting price in September 2017. Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 is currently its most expensive smartphone at $950.
If trends continue, it is possible Samsung may soon test the waters with a device starting at $1,000. There are murmurs that the Galaxy X smartphone with a foldable display could release in 2018. We expect that smartphone would be quite expensive, with new screen technology as its highlight feature.
There is also word about the Galaxy S9 Active and Galaxy Note 9 releasing after the Galaxy S9. Both devices would likely be more expensive than the Galaxy S9.