The January ritual is over. While the tech world had its eyes on Samsung for a traditional Galaxy Unpacked event at the start of the year, patience will be required this time. The presentation of the Galaxy S26 has officially been pushed back to the end of February, according to a schedule that is now circulating.
Samsung’s next flagship will therefore not be unveiled before February 25, with sales expected to begin only from March 11. This is a significant delay, especially considering that the Galaxy S25 models were already in the hands of early buyers around the same time last year.
A shaken timeline due to internal hesitation
Where does this delay come from? According to several sources close to the matter, Samsung’s mobile division hesitated for a long time over the structure of its lineup. An internal debate reportedly raged between those who wanted to keep the classic trio, S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, and those pushing for the arrival of an S26 Edge model, thinner and more design focused, at the expense of the Plus model.
These last minute back and forth decisions appear to have disrupted production plans and forced the announcement to be postponed. This situation contrasts with the image of a company that is usually very well organized.
A pricing context under pressure
This delay does not come alone. It is accompanied by persistent rumors of a price increase across the range. The global surge in component costs, especially memory, would be pushing Samsung to pass part of this inflation on to consumers.
Estimates point to an increase of 50 to 70 dollars per model. If confirmed, the S26 Ultra could start at around 1,900 dollars, a symbolic psychological threshold.
An opportunity for the competition?
This unexpected delay leaves a temporary opening for rivals. Apple, with its freshly established iPhone 17, and Chinese manufacturers, still aggressive with early launches, could take advantage of this relative gap in the first quarter tech calendar.
For Samsung, the challenge will be twofold: to justify the delay with compelling innovations on February 25, and to convince buyers that any potential price hike is truly worth it. January and February are shaping up to be quieter than expected in the Galaxy universe.
