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After CES 2025, the next major tech event is Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked on January 22nd. Samsung will debut the Galaxy S25 lineup at the event, including a Galaxy S25 Slim model.
The ultra-thin phone may hit shops in a few months, but that isn’t the only surprise Samsung has in store for customers. According to rumors, Samsung will reveal its Android XR-based AI-infused smart glasses at the expo. We absolutely expect the official unveiling of Vision Pro’s opponent, Project Moohan. Samsung might possibly unveil a new Galaxy Ring 2 model.
However, Unpacked may also have some unexpectedly unpleasant news: price increases for the three (okay, four) Galaxy S25 versions that are the show’s stars.
We were warned a few weeks ago that at least one of the three main Galaxy S25 models would cost higher than last year’s model. A fresh source from Europe says that price increases may be in coming for all three versions, which will be available in stores by February.
In mid-December, reports from Korea revealed the two variables that could compel Samsung to boost the cost of its Galaxy S25 models. First, there was political uncertainty in Korea, which had an impact on the dollar-won exchange rate. Then there’s the Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, the high-end chip that will power all Galaxy S25 versions, which costs much more than its predecessor.
According to the research, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the most likely model to be priced higher than the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
A month later, Italian blog SmartWorld reports that a local store in Italy has already built up placeholder pages for the Galaxy S25 phones, which will go on sale following Unpacked.
The store showed prices for all three Galaxy S25 models and their respective memory options, implying that price increases are likely. According to this source, the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra will be priced at least €50 more than their predecessors.
While this may seem concerning, I’d like to point out that these prices are not official. The Italian blog makes this point. Perhaps this is merely placeholder information that will be edited once Unpacked is released. SmartWorld additionally claims that well-known inside. Roland Quandt stated in December that the Galaxy S25’s European costs would be comparable to last year’s models.
If the price increases are real, they may not accurately represent Samsung’s global intentions. It is unclear in which markets Samsung will hike prices for the Galaxy S25. After all, a €50 increase is not as significant as projected. If it results in a $50 price increase in the United States, you can compensate by simply registering to preorder a Galaxy S25 flavor. Registration will entitle you to $50 in Samsung credit.
I’ll also remind you that Samsung and its carrier partners will launch a variety of promotions during the presale period to make the Galaxy S25 more affordable. One has already leaked: free Gemini Advanced access for up to a year. That’s a subscription that typically costs $20 per month. It provides ample cloud storage in addition to Google’s finest AI model.
Finally, according to recent rumors, Samsung plans to implement a hardware subscription plan soon for smartphones such as the Galaxy S25. While it will initially be accessible in only a few areas, a hardware subscription plan could make the Galaxy S25 much more affordable.
The Galaxy S25 Slim does not have a predecessor, thus we cannot forecast how much it will cost. However, I doubt it will be less expensive than the base Galaxy S25 model. The ultra-thin phone will still use the same high-end Snapdragon chip as the rest of them.
Reference: Galaxy S25 price might increase in Europe, a new leak claims
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