Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and Ultra tablets are set to launch on October 7, 2026, with the Plus offering up to 12GB RAM and a 12.6-inch display, while the Ultra provides up to 16GB RAM and a larger 14.6-inch screen. Both will run One UI 9.0 and be available in silver and gray, with the Plus starting at €1,299 and the Ultra at €1,539.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 sales in Korea increased by 10% following Apple's iPhone Duo announcement. The Z Fold8 benefits from immediate availability, a significantly lower price in Korea (44% cheaper), and a thinner, lighter design compared to the iPhone Duo, which launches in late October.
Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra and Pro models will feature silicon-carbon battery upgrades, with the Ultra reaching ~5,700 mAh (a 14% increase) and the Pro jumping to ~5,200 mAh, both supporting 60W wired charging. However, these capacities lag behind competitors like Oppo's rumored 8,000 mAh Find X10.
A tech reviewer compares the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max, highlighting five reasons to choose Samsung's flagship. Key advantages include Good Lock customization, Privacy Display for reduced viewing angles, the S Pen stylus, DeX desktop experience, and superior customization options over iOS.
Samsung has begun rolling out One UI 9.0 starting in Korea on September 16, with Samsung Thailand's announcement revealing global release dates for various Galaxy devices. The Galaxy S26 series is scheduled to receive the update on September 21 in Thailand and other regions, while the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Z Fold 7, and older Galaxy S23 FE will follow on later dates through October.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 are premium smartwatches released this summer with similar titanium construction and durability ratings for swimming and diving. Both offer 64GB storage, but differ in processors, display size and brightness, battery life, and health features, with the Galaxy featuring a brighter 5,000-nit display and up to 60 hours of battery versus Apple's 50-hour claim.
Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE maintains the midrange positioning with a 6.7-inch OLED display and Exynos 2500 chip, but raises its price by $50 over the S25 FE while offering only incremental design updates and unchanged base storage. The phone struggles with demanding games and camera app responsiveness, though its large battery requires daily charging despite matching the S26+ capacity.
Samsung's Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra will feature 60W wired charging and batteries of approximately 5,200mAh and 5,700mAh respectively, according to regulatory filings from China's 3C body. The S27 Ultra's battery capacity marks a significant increase from the Ultra line's 5,000mAh standard since 2021.
Apple has agreed to pay Samsung significantly higher prices for RAM and storage chips starting in Q1 2027, with costs rising 30-40% compared to Q3 2026 levels. The price increases reflect a global memory chip shortage driven by AI data center expansion. It remains unclear whether Apple will pass these costs to consumers or absorb them, though the company has already raised prices on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other products since June.
Apple's iPhone Duo foldable launch unexpectedly boosted Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales in South Korea by around 10%, as consumers unconvinced by Apple's offering or deterred by the price difference (roughly $700 more in Korea) chose Samsung's alternative instead.
Micron Technology stock rose 5.5% on September 17 after Intel's CEO warned that memory production capacity is very limited and the shortage will worsen next year. As the largest U.S. memory maker benefiting from AI data center demand, Micron has significant pricing power alongside South Korean competitors Samsung and SK Hynix.
Apple's iPhone Duo debut prompted a 10% sales increase for Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 as consumers compared the two foldable phones. Factors influencing the decision included pricing differences, storage options, and the iPhone Duo's delayed October availability versus the Fold 8's immediate purchase option. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 was already highly popular, exceeding pre-order expectations and outselling competing Samsung models.
Apple has agreed to pay $2 per gigabyte for DRAM in 2027, up from $1.50, driven by AI companies' massive data center buildouts that are constraining consumer memory supply. The supply-demand gap will worsen through 2028, likely forcing another round of iPhone price increases after the $100 hike in September.
Apple has agreed to pay Samsung 30-40% higher prices for RAM and NAND storage chips starting in Q1 2027, with costs rising to nearly $2 per GB for DRAM and $0.33 per GB for NAND. The price increases reflect broader chip shortages driven by AI data center expansion, and it remains unclear whether Apple will pass these costs to consumers or has already factored them into 2026 pricing.
Memory chip prices have surged five to seven times according to Intel's CEO, with HBM supply unable to keep pace with demand from major manufacturers. Memory now comprises 70-80% of low-end phone and laptop costs, and shortages are expected to worsen through 2027.
Citi forecasts unprecedented DRAM price growth every year through 2031, marking a structural shift rather than cyclical downturn in the memory industry. This shift is driven by HBM (high-bandwidth memory) for AI GPUs consuming 3x the wafer capacity of standard DRAM, causing supply constraints as manufacturers convert production capacity.
Samsung has announced that the Galaxy S25 series and Galaxy Z Fold 7/Flip 7 will begin receiving One UI 9 on September 28, with the Galaxy S23 FE following in October. The timeline, revealed by Samsung Thailand, provides the clearest roadmap yet for the Android 17-based update's rollout beyond the Galaxy S26 series, though exact timing may vary by region.
Samsung is reportedly reworking image processing algorithms for the Galaxy S27 Ultra to produce warmer, more natural-looking photos with less oversaturation. The improvements also extend to video, with updates to Log format and APV codec for better HDR recording at existing 4K 120fps and 8K 30fps resolutions.
KB Securities projects major hyperscalers will invest $1.3 trillion in AI infrastructure in 2026, up 60% year-over-year, with memory expected to grow from 14% to 40% of AI capex. Samsung and SK Hynix face severe supply constraints as HBM production crowds out commodity DRAM, potentially driving record earnings and significant stock re-rating through 2027.
Snap launched $2,195 Specs augmented reality glasses featuring self-contained computing, dual displays per lens, and a new Specs Intelligence AI platform that surfaces contextual information. The device competes with Meta's $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses and targets both consumers and enterprises, though smart glasses face ongoing privacy concerns about covert recording.