After the Galaxy S26, I'm really worried about the Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung Electronics, including its mobile division, has reportedly entered emergency management. This move is apparently driven by skyrocketing RAM costs, along with increased logistics costs due to the US-Iraeli war in Iran.

The RAM crisis has already affected the Galaxy S26 series, resulting in price hikes and few upgrades. However, this will undoubtedly affect Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones, and I’m particularly worried about the Galaxy Z Flip phones.

Why am I worried about Galaxy Z Flip 8?

The Galaxy Z Flip phones are in a very vulnerable spot compared to the Galaxy Z Fold line. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is much cheaper, at $1,099. By comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched at $1,999. The Flip’s significantly lower price means there’s less wiggle room to absorb component price increases, as well as a smaller profit margin.

Now, Samsung can ordinarily absorb small cost increases. A slightly more expensive chipset here, $1 more for storage there. But we’re not talking small increases in 2026. Counterpoint Research reported earlier this month that RAM prices increased by over 50% compared to the previous quarter. It’s not like RAM was cheap in the previous quarter anyway, with prices increasing by a projected 50%. The price of NAND flash storage has also jumped by 90% in Q1 2026 compared to the previous quarter.

Counterpoint predicts that a phone with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage will have a bill of materials (BoM) that rises by $100 to $150 by next quarter. Even a cheap phone with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of legacy eMMC storage (let alone more modern UFS storage) will see BoM costs increasing by 25%. For what it’s worth, the Z Flip 7 starts at 12GB/256GB, while the Z Flip 7 FE starts at 8GB/128GB.

I haven’t even covered price increases for other components. Other smartphone parts like displays and chipsets have also seen price hikes in recent months, putting more pressure on smartphone makers. Samsung has turned to its Exynos chip line for the Galaxy S26 series, as the Exynos 2600 powers the base and Plus models in some regions. The company was reportedly in talks with its chipmaking arm to reduce the Exynos 2600’s price by $20 to $30, but it’s unclear if these talks bore fruit.

The RAM crisis has also apparently forced Samsung to opt for cheaper components. The Galaxy maker has reportedly switched its budget phones from in-house displays to screens from rival company CSOT. That’s a sensible move, but Samsung can’t do that for its Flip phones. Sure, BOE also makes folding screens, but Samsung Display is the only company producing these cutting-edge panels in the required volumes. This means the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and even the Z Fold 8 are effectively at the mercy of one display maker. It’s not like Samsung can go to another manufacturer if it wants lower prices.

What might happen to the Z Flip 8?

I think it’s inevitable that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 will take one of two paths. Samsung will either maintain pricing with little to no upgrades, or it will institute price increases. Don’t believe me? Look at the Galaxy S26 series.

The base Galaxy S26 starts at $900. Sure, Samsung has ditched the 128GB model this year, but the 256GB Galaxy S25 launched at $860. So even the cheapest model is $40 more expensive than the equivalent model last year. Samsung can’t really hide a Z Flip 8 price hike behind a storage upgrade, as last year’s model already starts with 256GB of storage. This means a naked price increase could be on the cards.

The other alternative is that Samsung doesn’t offer any major upgrades and even downgrades the phone to maintain pricing. So those expecting better cameras, brighter displays, a more durable design, bigger batteries, or faster charging might be out of luck.

What about a potential Galaxy Z Flip 8 FE, then? We haven’t really seen any concrete leaks about this phone since we uncovered an apparent model number. Furthermore, the RAM crisis and other component price hikes make me wonder whether a cheaper Flip might be canceled in 2026. However, Samsung could potentially hide a price hike behind a storage upgrade, going from 128GB to 256GB of base storage. But the Galaxy Flip 7 FE already launched at a hefty $899, so what’s the point of an FE model that costs over $900?

In saying so, I could see a world where the Z Flip 8 FE maintains the same price tag as its predecessor. There’s less pressure for the FE phone to adopt the latest and greatest silicon, which means Samsung could pull a Pixel 10a and stick with the Z Flip 7 FE’s Exynos 2500 chipset. The FE model is also a smart way to use older stockpiled parts, such as the chassis/frame and screens. These moves could potentially offset component price hikes elsewhere, resulting in the same $899 price tag. So who knows, maybe we could see an FE model after all.

The pending Z Flip 8 release also comes as Motorola continues to excel in the US market. The IDC previously reported that Motorola is the number one foldable brand in the country, accounting for roughly 50% of the market. Phones like the $699 Razr 2025 are undoubtedly a big reason why Moto is putting the boots to Samsung. Motorola isn’t immune to the aforementioned challenges, while Samsung has economies of scale on its side, but the Razr maker certainly has momentum on its side.

2026 could be a year to forget for Z Flip fans

Samsung is clearly struggling this year despite its claims of record Galaxy S26 series pre-orders. Those phones saw few upgrades and price hikes, reflecting the RAM crisis and Samsung’s own conservative approach. I therefore fear that bad news awaits us at Samsung’s second major Unpacked event of the year.

Should we expect price hikes, no upgrades, or even some downgrades for the Galaxy Z Flip 8? It seems like nothing is off the table right now. And with Samsung’s rejuvenated Galaxy Z Fold 7, along with the industry shifting focus to Wide Fold devices, it’s clear that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 might not be a priority in 2026.