Samsung’s New Tablets Arrive at Higher Prices, Tracker Lasts Longer
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12 range is set to launch on October 7th, with prices in Europe starting at €1,299 for the S12+ and €1,539 for the S12 Ultra, approximately €180 more expensive than the preceding model. Interestingly, there is no entry-level version this time, and a new SmartTag tracker, which runs for 790 days on a coin cell, will be available for $30 or $100 for four from early November.
The American prices are set at $1,200 and $1,399, respectively, a $100 increase from their predecessors. The European increase is notably higher, at around twice the amount. A 5G version adds an additional €200 to the price.
These changes come amid a global memory shortage that has been impacting the smartphone market, with prices for LPDDR5 memory rising by 220% between the first quarters of 2025 and 2026. Samsung, being the world's largest memory maker, has not provided a clear reason for the price hike.
The 11-inch Galaxy Tab S11, which was previously in the middle of the range, has not been updated, reflecting the ongoing memory shortage. This trend has also been observed in other industries, such as when Apple withdrew its $599 Mac Mini instead of repricing it, and when Amazon raised device prices by up to 60% in August, and Fujifilm raised camera prices by up to €500 in September.
As a technology enthusiast and intern at The Next Web, Darius Popa, notes that the memory shortage is a significant factor in the price increases, with memory now accounting for a larger portion of the cost of budget Android phones compared to before. German DDR5 prices have risen by 414% over the same period.
The launch of Apple's expected OLED iPad mini within weeks will be a significant development to watch, particularly regarding its potential inclusion of a cheap option.