Samsung Cuts Galaxy S26 Upgrades to Keep $799 Price Point

Samsung reportedly pulled back on some of its planned upgrades for the Galaxy S26, shifting its priority to price competitiveness. The most notable rollback is a reduced battery boost, a move aimed at keeping the base model at the same $799 starting price as the Galaxy S25. Industry analysts say the strategy is designed to directly counter Apple’s pricing approach with the iPhone 17.

Galaxy S26 could have a much bigger battery if not for rising component costs

There have been some contrasting reports over the physical dimensions of the Galaxy S26. A reliable tipster recently said that the device will be 6.9 mm thick, dismissing rumors that Samsung will keep the thickness unchanged at 7.2 mm. Now, another interesting report has surfaced, though we have doubts over its accuracy.

According to Newspim, Samsung originally finalized the Galaxy S26 at a thickness of 6.9 mm. Even more ambitious was the alleged plan to upgrade the battery to a massive 4,900 mAh. That’s an enormous jump from the Galaxy S25’s 4,000 mAh unit. It would have required significant engineering breakthroughs, possibly even the adoption of silicon-carbon battery tech.

However, with Apple keeping the starting price of its iPhone 17 series unchanged, Samsung reconsidered these upgrades. Rising material costs meant the Galaxy S26 would have seen a price hike if the company had adopted such a huge battery. The battery increase may now land at a more modest 4,300 mAh, still an upgrade but far from the bold early target.

That said, the new report doesn’t clarify the final thickness of the Galaxy S26, so it’s important to take these details with skepticism. The idea that Samsung planned to make the phone significantly thinner while simultaneously increasing battery capacity by 900 mAh raised eyebrows from the start. Such a leap would require major generational battery innovation, something unlikely to appear without an industry-wide hint. It shouldn’t be long before more detailed Galaxy S26 leaks surface online.