GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
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.
Would you buy a more expensive Galaxy Z Flip 8? 19 votes Yes, I would 16 % Maybe, it depends on the price hike 16 % No, I'd buy a rival Flip phone 21 % No, I'm a Fold fan in the first place 26 % No, I don't care about foldables 21 %
Why am I worried about Galaxy Z Flip 8?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
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.
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