So far, we’ve seen companies either release new smartphones at higher prices than their predecessors or hike prices a few months after launch, of course, due to the ongoing memory crisis. However, Samsung has increased the price of a device that’s about to be replaced in a couple of months.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7, launched in July 2025, has received a quiet yet firm price hike in the United States. Even though the baseline variant with 256GB of storage holds steady at $2,000, the 512GB variant now costs $2,200, up $80 from the original price of $2,120.
Isn’t the Fold 8 about to launch in a couple of months?
The top-tier 1TB variant has also climbed similarly, up from $2,420 to $2,500. At the time of writing this article, the new prices were live at Samsung’s official U.S. website. It’s worth mentioning that the company didn’t make any formal or courtesy announcements about the same.
While it might not make sense at first, raising the price of a phone whose successor is due in almost three months, the harsh reality is that rising component costs don’t follow a product’s launch cycle.
Memory and component costs have been soaring across the industry. Most recently, Motorola increased the prices of its entry-level Android phones in the U.S. by up to 50%. Compared to that, Samsung’s hike might look negligible, but here’s why that isn’t the entire picture.
Prospective Fold 8 buyers should be cautious about pricing
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a premium device with a premium price tag; it’s one of the most expensive consumer-grade smartphones money can buy. The price hike showcases that even premium devices, which generally offer higher margins, are not entirely immune to deeper cost pressures looming across the industry.
At the same time, I am also concerned about the Fold 8’s launch price, as any further increase could narrow the buyer pool further than it already is.