Were you surprised to see this year's iPhone 16 family priced exactly the same as the 2023-released iPhone 15 lineup? Apparently, Samsung was, and while obviously beneficial for mobile consumers around the world, this somewhat unexpected decision from Apple is making life difficult for the top global smartphone vendor.
That's because the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra are expected to cost at least "slightly" more than their already extravagant predecessors, which is something Samsung was hoping wouldn't generate a lot of negativity. That's definitely out the window now, which is why the Korea-based tech giant is unironically looking forward to next year's iPhone 17 series release.
Samsung should stop paying so much attention to Apple's release strategies, product upgrade cycles, and all other business moves. And vice versa, don't get me wrong. In fact, the mobile industry would be so much better off if each company (especially tier 1 brands) did its own thing every year without constantly worrying about the competition.
Is there a legitimate reason why the Galaxy S25 family needs to be more expensive than the S24 trio? Then by all means, Samsung, feel free to jack up those S-series prices... again. A costlier Snapdragon processor, for instance, certainly falls in that category, but only if Samsung reduced the retail prices of its high-end smartphones when component costs and production expenses went down in the past.
The S24 Ultra is more expensive than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and that's definitely a problem for Samsung. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Oh, that never happened? Then perhaps the time has come to show less greed and an enhanced focus on satisfying consumer needs with realistically priced products. According to industry estimates, Samsung only spends around $500 on every Galaxy S24 Ultra unit it then sells for $1,300 (before occasional discounts), and even if we add the long-term research, development, and marketing costs associated with such a high-profile product, that still leaves a profit margin the company can probably afford to slim down a little for the S25 Ultra if the desire is there.
Granted, some rumors have suggested that the Galaxy S25 Ultra's bill of materials could rise by as much as $110 compared to its predecessor, but that's unlikely to be true. If it is, Samsung definitely has a tough decision to make, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will probably arrive way too late to justify a potential increase to $1,400 for the entry-level S25 Ultra variant.
Apple holds all the cards right now
Will the iPhone 17 Pro Max start at $1,300? Will the "vanilla" iPhone 17 cost $100 more than the iPhone 16? Will the iPhone 17 Air be even more expensive than the 17 Pro Max while offering humbler specs and features? Maybe and maybe not.
The fact of the matter is we can't know any of these things for sure, and that's mainly because Apple has become more and more unpredictable in recent years. That's obvious not just from the iPhone 16 family's prices, but for better and for worse, from the absence of an Apple Watch Ultra 3 and AirPods Max 2 this year and the launch of two awesome iPad Air versions for the first time.
Will Samsung do the right thing and unpack a competitively priced Galaxy S25 family next month? | Image Credit -- Evan Blass on X
Still focused on profits more than anything else, the Cupertino-based colossus has proven its margins can occasionally be sacrificed in favor of volume, which used to be Samsung's number one forte. Defeated at its own game and badly struggling to retain dominance over the global smartphone market, Samsung needs to once again take control, ignore all the rumors about the iPhone 17 family's price hikes, and make the Galaxy S25 series as affordable as humanly possible.
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That includes the first-of-a-kind S25 Slim too, which must make a big splash with state-of-the-art hardware and a not-excessive price point before the iPhone 17 Air arrives. This is a one-of-a-kind chance for Samsung, and the company cannot blow it by simply waiting for Apple to release an inferior product that will make the Galaxy S25 Slim look good in comparison. That may not end up happening, and even if it does, it will probably be too late.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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