Samsung's plan to keep Galaxy S27 prices down is dead, so prepare to pay more

There is fresh movement around Samsung’s plan to keep Galaxy S27 prices down is dead, so prepare to pay more, and the story is worth a closer look.

We pulled together what is known so far and what it could mean for the people following it.

It is being reported that a deal which would have secured Samsung cheaper OLED panels for its Galaxy S27 phones has fallen through, meaning Samsung will likely have to manufacture the displays itself (via Android Authority).

This is something of a double-edged sword. While many worried using a cheaper display would lead to problems down the line, it was also a way to avoid potential price rises due to higher component prices across the board.

Now, it seems likely we will see large price increases across the entire new range of Samsung flagships.

This potential deal was first spotted in May, and it centered around the idea Samsung would offload the creation of the Galaxy S27’s display panels to BOE, a Chinese company.

according to the data the rumors at the time, BOE was capable of creating similar OLED displays for around 20% less than Samsung itself, giving Samsung an area where it could feasibly absorb the additional costs caused by AI hoovering up components.

This would have been a huge deal, as it would have been the first time one of Samsung’s flagship phones didn’t sport a Samsung-made panel.

However, it will not come to pass, according to the data new reports.

While BOE reportedly was the party that terminated the project, it’s believed that there was considerable resistance within Samsung itself to the idea. Unsurprisingly, it’s said a lot in particular came from Samsung Display, which was presumably not keen on the idea at all.

Ultimately, it’s not known exactly why the deal got bopped on the head, but there’s one likely outcome that nobody wants to see: price increases.

It’s currently expected the Galaxy S27 range will be getting a hefty price increase due to the continued pressure on the component market. Because AI projects are currently hoovering up components like storage, RAM, and processors at a rapid pace, prices have risen precipitously.

In April, yours truly reported on these price rises, and experts previously thought we could see the Galaxy S27’s sticker price rise by between $50-100. That’s a big increase, especially when you consider the increase for the S26 range. That means you may be looking at phone that was $200 cheaper only two years ago.

Now factor in that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is expected to be more expensive than its predecessor, and the next generation of flagship phones could be setting new records in cost.

Hopefully this isn’t the case, but considering how we’ve seen massive increases in price across the tech world, it seems like a sad future.