·       Samsung is set to launch its mainstream flagship series for 2026 at its Unpacked event on February 25.

·       The launch provides a key early indicator of how smartphone OEMs might begin to address the evolving memory shortages rippling through the consumer electronics industry. 

·       Samsung is looking to capitalize on a later launch timing to capture more high-end buyers with new hardware and AI features.

Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – Feb 24, 2026

Samsung’s sales for its Galaxy S25 series outperformed the predecessor series by 5%*, with the Galaxy S25 Ultra improving sales by 7% compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, according to the Counterpoint Research Market Pulse service. Samsung will be looking to improve on these numbers as the company gets ready to launch its latest flagship smartphone series on February 25, at a time when the market is experiencing quickly changing dynamics. 

Despite a weaker start to sales, the Galaxy S25 series’ launch-year sales from February through December outpaced the S24 series’ sales during the same period. Besides, global sales of the Galaxy S25 Ultra saw mid-cycle month-over-month sales increases in July and October last year, at the same time as the Galaxy Z7 foldables saw significant demand, illustrating consumer demand for both flagship form factors and limited cannibalization. As a result, the Galaxy S25 Ultra ended the year in the Top 10 list of best-selling smartphone models for 2025.

The Galaxy S26 series’ launch will be a key early indicator in assessing the impact of memory supply constraints on flagships. The pricing of the new devices, the corresponding memory configurations, and associated promotions can provide insights into the 2026 smartphone market. While the immediate impact of the memory crisis is likely to be felt by lower price segments, Samsung’s launch can indicate how other OEMs might react.

With the pre-announcement of enhancements to Samsung Bixby and the integration of Perplexity, Samsung hopes to invigorate public sentiment around GenAI features. So far, AI has not been a key upgrade driver for buyers, according to Counterpoint’s consumer research.

Senior Analyst Gerrit Schneemann said, “While we saw resilience in the global smartphone market in 2025, with sales growing 3% YoY, in part driven by continued demand for flagship devices, the upcoming Samsung launch will be a key indicator for the industry and consumers alike as to how 2026 will shape up in terms of smartphone pricing. Because of the global memory supply crunch, we have already seen localized changes in pricing and now look towards this global launch for indicators on how much of the added memory cost gets passed on to the end user.”

Research Director Tarun Pathak added, “The global smartphone market’s premiumization trend continued in 2025, as witnessed by the notable performance of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series, particularly the Ultra variant. For this year, Samsung will be looking for continued growth in the premium segment, aided by promotions and financing options in key markets, to offset exposure to lower price tiers, which are likely to be impacted immediately by rising component costs.”

Counterpoint will be on the ground at Samsung’s launch event in San Francisco to examine the new devices and features. Reach out to us to schedule a time to discuss the latest Samsung developments.

Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for questions regarding our latest research and insights.

*Sales during February-December in the respective launch year (2024 for Galaxy S24 series and 2025 for Galaxy S25 series).

About Counterpoint Research

Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.