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Samsung's next Ultra won't have an easy run. The S25 family didn't just sell well — it raised the bar.
New figures from Counterpoint Research show the Galaxy S25 Ultra closed out its year as one of the market's best-selling flagships. In the window between launch and year-end, the S25 Ultra posted roughly 7% higher sales than the S24 Ultra managed in the same period. The whole S25 lineup wasn't far behind either: cumulative sales climbed about 5% versus the S24 series.
Expectations for the S26 line are familiar: standard, Plus and Ultra models are likely to return. On paper, that continuity helps Samsung keep a steady grip on the premium segment. In practice, repeating—or beating—the S25's performance will be a different story.
Why? Two stubborn realities. First, market momentum favors the incumbent; consumers who've just upgraded are less likely to chase a near-identical refresh. Second, supply-side pressure could bite. Global shortages of memory components and rising prices for DRAM and NAND chips are real constraints. Component cost creep doesn't vanish at the factory gate; it usually shows up in retail tags.
So what are Samsung's options? Raise prices and accept slower volume. Protect price points and shave margins. Or rework configurations to reduce costly memory tiers. Any path affects demand, especially in markets where buyers are price-sensitive and carrier subsidies are shifting.
The S26 Ultra will have to fight both a high benchmark set by the S25 family and tightening memory markets if it wants to top last year's sales.
Keep an eye on pricing and memory-sourcing announcements — they will tell the real story long before the first hands-on reviews land.
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