GoKawiilRyan Haines / Android Authority
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Gone are the days of affordable smartphones. With rising component costs and ongoing political pressures in key parts of the globe, we likely wonāt see any price drops for new smartphones in the foreseeable future.
Booming prices are usually passed on to consumers, but rising component costs are also negatively affecting manufacturers. Just this week, news broke that Samsung has entered āemergency managementā mode due to the current global financial climate. It appears that the companyās mobile experience unit could incur a deficit this financial year, despite the Galaxy S26 series selling well.
This raises the question: Is there anything companies can do to decrease prices for themselves and their consumers?
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Well, culling free AI features could be a good start.
According to a recent Seoul Economic Daily report, Samsung spends over $69 million daily on R&D, with a significant portion likely dedicated to AI development. It spends even more on AI-focused capital expenditure. But what if every Galaxy AI feature were paywalled, rather than included on every device? This approach could theoretically reduce the R&D workload focused on developing AI tools while generating more revenue from users willing to pay for them.
Although these measures are small in the grand scheme of things, they could help reduce the demands on consumers who donāt require AI capabilities.
Are you worried about the future of Samsung? 116 votes Yes 49 % No 51 %
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