Galaxy S9 could cost much more than the Galaxy S8
If true, it's more proof of price hikes across the board.
Your wallet may feel a lot lighter after you buy the Samsung Galaxy S9. Samsung's new phone is said to cost £100 more than the Galaxy S8, TechRadar reported. That converts to a price hike of $140 and AU$175.
New flagship phones often bump up the sticker price over previous years when introducing new technology and next-gen materials. The Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X kicked off an upward trend in phones that cost $950 and $1,000, respectively -- sky-high costs, even for a premium handset. And despite collective grumbles, millions of people bought them anyway. Handsets that approach laptop prices could become the new normal.
The TechRadar report cites an unnamed source in the UK mobile phone deals industry for the pricing info. The report claims that the £100 jump would put the Galaxy S9 at a retail price of £789 in the UK. Meanwhile the Galaxy S9 is reported to cost around $850 in the US. For reference, last year's Galaxy S8 initially sold for $750, £689 and AU$1,19.
While there's no mention of the Galaxy S9 Plus, past pricing history puts it at $100 more than the smaller-size model. Apart from being bigger, the Galaxy S9 Plus is rumored to get dual rear cameras (while the standard S9 sticks to one), which would support the price disparity.
If the S9 Plus sees the same increase, you could see it retail somewhere in the ballpark of $950, £879 and AU$1,449.
Samsung typically lets local carriers and stores announce their own pricing, but we should know for certain either way on Feb. 25, when Samsung unveils the Galaxy S9. Until then, it doesn't hurt to start saving up.
Samsung declined to comment on this story.
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