Samsung Electronics is poised to raise prices for its upcoming Galaxy S26 flagship smartphone series — the first such increase in three years — as surging costs for memory chips and advanced processors driven by the global AI boom make stable pricing increasingly difficult to maintain.

Industry sources told South Korean media outlets, including Korea JoongAng Daily and Yonhap News Agency, that the base 256GB model of the standard Galaxy S26 could see a hike of up to 99,000 won (about $68) from the previous generation’s starting price of around 1.15 million won (approximately $790-$800 in equivalent U.S. terms). Similar adjustments are expected for the Galaxy S26+ and potentially the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra, though the extent varies by market and model.

The anticipated price revision stems from a confluence of factors: skyrocketing demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI applications has strained supply chains, forcing manufacturers like Samsung — the world’s largest memory chip producer — to redirect capacity and drive up costs for standard DRAM and NAND flash used in smartphones. Reports also highlight elevated production expenses for Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 processor, expected in many Galaxy S26 models outside the U.S. and China, built on an advanced 2nm gate-all-around (GAA) process with reportedly lower yields and higher wafer costs.

Even though Samsung fabs its Exynos chips internally, sources indicate the company “is not in a position to purchase Exynos at a cheaper price than its competitors,” suggesting internal pricing pressures and absorbed costs to retain clients in both consumer and enterprise segments.

Samsung’s co-CEO Roh Tae-moon, who heads the Mobile eXperience (MX) division, hinted at potential impacts during a January briefing with reporters, noting that “stronger chip performance required for AI devices is making a price increase inevitable.” Last year, Roh reportedly intervened at the last minute to keep Galaxy S25 prices aligned with the S24 series despite similar pressures. Industry insiders now say even his influence may not suffice for the S26 lineup, with decisions potentially finalized “at the very last minute” ahead of the February 25 unveiling.

The Galaxy Unpacked event, set for February 25, 2026, in San Francisco, will officially reveal the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra, with pre-orders likely opening immediately and devices hitting shelves around March 11. Samsung has teased enhancements focused on Galaxy AI integration, including improved low-light video recording, a new “Privacy Display” feature, and more seamless everyday AI interactions to simplify user tasks.

Expected hardware upgrades remain evolutionary: the S26 Ultra is rumored to feature a 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED display with peak brightness exceeding 3,000 nits, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor (or Exynos 2600 in select regions), up to 16GB RAM, storage options from 256GB to 1TB, and a camera system headlined by a 200MP main sensor. Battery capacities could see modest increases with stacked technology for better efficiency, while charging remains at 60W wired and Qi2-compatible wireless.

Pricing in major markets like the U.S. remains uncertain but could hold steady at previous levels — $799 for the Galaxy S26, $999 for the S26+, and $1,299 for the S26 Ultra — to stay competitive against Apple’s expected iPhone 17 lineup. In contrast, European and Korean markets face clearer upward pressure, with some leaks suggesting regional variations to offset component inflation.

Analysts express concern that any notable hike could challenge Samsung’s market position in a highly competitive segment, particularly if rivals absorb costs or offer aggressive promotions. Pre-order incentives, including trade-in values up to $900 in some cases, appear scaled back compared to prior years, with reduced free storage upgrades and store credits signaling tighter margins.

Samsung has not commented officially on pricing, emphasizing instead the series’ AI-driven advancements to “make your life easier.” The company continues to promote the event heavily, inviting consumers to register for updates and exclusive perks.
As the February 25 Unpacked approaches, the final pricing decision will clarify whether Samsung opts to pass on rising costs or finds ways to mitigate them through efficiencies, higher base storage allocations, or targeted regional strategies.

Samsung Electronics is preparing to launch a significantly redesigned variant of its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 series this summer, with the so-called “Wide” model confirmed for a third-quarter debut alongside the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8, according to multiple industry reports and recent software leaks.

South Korean outlet ET News reported in late January that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide — internally referred to in some contexts as a broader book-style foldable — will unveil at Samsung’s traditional summer Galaxy Unpacked event, typically held in July or August. Tipster Ice Universe reinforced the timeline on X, pointing to a likely July launch. This marks a shift from earlier speculation that the wider model might arrive later in the year to more directly rival an anticipated Apple foldable iPhone.

The Wide variant represents Samsung’s most substantial design evolution in the book-style foldable category since the line’s inception. Leaked animations from early One UI 9 test builds — Samsung’s upcoming software based on Android 17 — surfaced in mid-February, providing the first near-official glimpses of the device. Codenamed H8 with model number SM-F971U in U.S. variants, the renders show a noticeably wider aspect ratio on both the cover and inner displays compared to the current Galaxy Z Fold 7’s tall, narrow profile.

When folded, the external screen adopts a near-16:10 ratio, making it feel more phone-like and less elongated than predecessors. Unfolded, the main display shifts toward a roughly 9:7 aspect ratio, offering a more tablet-oriented experience optimized for multitasking, media consumption and productivity. This contrasts sharply with the Z Fold 7’s approximately 1.11:1 inner ratio, addressing long-standing user feedback about the traditional Fold’s awkward proportions for video and split-screen use.

Industry analysts view the Wide model as a strategic response to competitive pressures, particularly rumors of Apple’s first foldable — expected later in 2026 with a landscape-oriented, wider design. By launching in summer, Samsung aims to establish market dominance early. Production estimates suggest Samsung plans around 3.5 million units of the overall Z Fold 8 family, with approximately 1 million allocated to the Wide variant, indicating a meaningful but targeted rollout.

Beyond the form factor, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series — including the standard and Wide models — is expected to build on recent foldable advancements. Rumors point to a continued focus on durability, with potential improvements to hinge mechanisms and reduced crease visibility on inner displays. Battery capacities could approach 5,000mAh in some configurations, supported by efficient chipsets like Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon or Samsung’s Exynos options. Camera systems are slated for upgrades, emphasizing better low-light performance and AI-enhanced processing via Galaxy AI features.

S Pen support remains a staple for productivity, while One UI 9 integration promises deeper AI capabilities for seamless multitasking across the expanded screen real estate. Pricing details are scarce, but the Wide model may position as a more accessible entry into premium foldables, potentially undercutting the flagship Z Fold 8’s expected $1,999 starting point to broaden appeal.

Samsung has not officially commented on the Wide variant or specific launch dates, but thepresence of dedicated firmware flags and animations in One UI 9 builds strongly corroborates development progress. The company continues to expand its foldable portfolio, following the recent U.S. availability of the Galaxy Z TriFold — a triple-folding device priced at $2,899 and featuring a 10-inch inner display — which launched in late January.

As foldables gain mainstream traction, Samsung’s dual-Fold strategy for 2026 positions the company to capture diverse user preferences: the classic tall design for one-handed use and the new wider format for immersive content and work. The summer Unpacked event will likely clarify final specs, pricing and availability when Samsung takes the stage.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court in a landmark trial over claims that social media platforms harm children — his first time answering youth safety allegations before a jury.

The bellwether lawsuit, K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al., was filed by a 20-year-old California woman identified by her initials. She alleges that Meta and other social media companies engineered their platforms to hook young users, fueling her depression and suicidal thoughts, and is seeking to hold the companies accountable.

Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube deny the allegations, citing years of expanded safety features and parental controls as part of their defense. The tech titans are expected to point to other factors in K.G.M.’s life, highlight their investments in youth safety and argue they should not be held responsible for harmful content uploaded by users.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT SLAMS BIG TECH FOR SEXTORTION, THREATS TO CHILDREN WHILE CALLING FOR KEY INTERNET REFORM

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., during a dinner with tech leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.  (Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg/Getty Images / Getty Images)

A verdict for the plaintiff, K.G.M., could set a precedent for holding tech companies responsible for harmful design decisions, despite years of successfully invoking Section 230’s content liability shield. Section 230 is a federal law that largely shields online platforms from lawsuits related to user-posted content. 

A rejection of that defense could pave the way for similar lawsuits across the country, exposing Meta and other tech companies to billions in damages and pressuring them to redesign their platforms.

BIG TECH’S TOBACCO MOMENT IS HERE — AND THE TRUTH ABOUT HARMING KIDS IS OUT

In this photo illustration, the TikTok app is seen on a phone on March 13, 2024, in New York City.  (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Beyond this case, Meta and Google face more than 2,300 related lawsuits filed by parents, school districts and state attorneys general in federal court. 

The wave of lawsuits reflects a growing backlash against social media companies over concerns about their impact on children’s mental health and safety. Lawmakers, parents and regulators have increasingly accused platforms of prioritizing growth and engagement over protecting young users.

In New Mexico, opening statements began Monday in a separate case brought by the state’s attorney general accusing Meta of exposing minors to sexual exploitation and profiting from it — allegations the company denies.

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Meta and Google face more than 2,300 related lawsuits filed by parents, school districts and state attorneys general in federal court.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The scrutiny isn’t limited to the United States. 

Countries including Australia and Spain have moved to restrict social media access for users under 16, citing concerns about addiction, online harms and mental health. Other governments are weighing similar age-based limits as pressure mounts worldwide.

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A senior NASA planetary defense official warned that humanity remains vulnerable to thousands of undetected near-Earth asteroids capable of devastating entire cities, emphasizing that current detection efforts have cataloged only about 40% of potentially hazardous objects in the 140-meter (460-foot) size range and that no ready-to-deploy deflection system exists for an imminent threat.

Kelly Fast, acting Planetary Defense Officer at NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, delivered the stark assessment during a presentation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Phoenix on Feb. 16, 2026. She estimated that roughly 25,000 near-Earth objects of at least 140 meters exist, with approximately 15,000 still unaccounted for.

“What keeps me up at night is the asteroids we don’t know about,” Fast said, according to multiple reports from the event. She distinguished the threat from Hollywood-style “planet killers” — massive asteroids larger than 1 kilometer, which are largely tracked and pose minimal near-term risk — and tiny meteoroids that burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere daily. The real concern centers on mid-sized “city killers” that could cause regional devastation, including massive blast waves, fires and potential tsunamis if striking populated areas or oceans.

An impact from a 140-meter asteroid releases energy equivalent to tens or hundreds of megatons of TNT — far exceeding the most powerful nuclear weapons ever tested — capable of leveling urban centers and causing widespread casualties and infrastructure damage without triggering global extinction-level effects.

Fast noted that while NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies continuously monitors known objects via the Sentry and Scout systems, no significant impact risk exists in the next century for cataloged bodies. However, undetected asteroids remain a blind spot, particularly those approaching from the sunward direction or lingering in observational gaps.
The comments echo ongoing challenges in planetary defense despite progress. NASA’s 2022 Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully demonstrated kinetic impact deflection by slamming a spacecraft into the moonlet Dimorphos, shortening its orbit around parent asteroid Didymos by about 32 minutes — confirming the technique’s viability in principle.

Nancy Chabot, a Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory planetary scientist who led DART, addressed the same AAAS session and reinforced the limitations. “Dart was a great demonstration but we don’t have that sitting around ready to go if there was a threat we needed to use it for,” she said. “We would not have any way to go and actively deflect one right now.”

Experts stress that deflection requires years — ideally a decade or more — of lead time to launch a mission, whether kinetic impactor, gravity tractor, nuclear deflection or other methods under study. Short-warning scenarios leave few options beyond civil defense measures like evacuation.

To close detection gaps, NASA plans to launch the Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) infrared space telescope in 2027. The mission aims to discover at least 90% of near-Earth asteroids 140 meters and larger within a decade of operations, dramatically improving catalog completeness and early warning capabilities. International collaboration, including ESA’s Hera mission — which will rendezvous with the Didymos system in late 2026 to study DART’s long-term effects — bolsters global efforts.

NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office continues hypothetical impact exercises with federal, state and international partners to refine response protocols. The agency maintains that while the overall risk remains low — with most large objects tracked and no imminent threats identified — mid-sized undetected asteroids represent the highest uncertainty in near-term hazard assessments.

Fast’s remarks have renewed public and scientific discussion on funding priorities for planetary defense amid competing space exploration goals. Proponents argue that incremental investments in telescopes, rapid-response missions and international coordination could substantially mitigate the threat.

No immediate action is required based on current knowledge, but officials urge sustained support for detection and deflection technologies to ensure preparedness if a threatening asteroid emerges.

A spectacular high-pressure water eruption at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas has captured widespread attention online, with videos of the massive “water blast” racking up millions of views as the company prepares for its 12th Starship test flight.

The footage, shared widely on social media platforms including X and captured by local observers and NASASpaceflight livestreams, shows thousands of gallons of water surging upward from beneath Orbital Launch Pad 2 in a towering plume that resembles an explosion or rocket mishap. Posted around Feb. 16, 2026, the clips quickly went viral, prompting initial speculation of an accident at the Boca Chica site.

SpaceX conducted the test as a full-duration verification of its upgraded water deluge system — a critical safety feature designed to protect the launch pad, surrounding infrastructure and the rocket itself from the intense heat, acoustic shockwaves and flame produced by the Super Heavy booster’s 33 Raptor 3 engines during liftoff.

The system, which sprays water at extreme pressure through a network of nozzles and a water-cooled steel plate beneath the launch mount, mitigates damage that plagued earlier flights. Initial versions of the deluge were implemented after Flight 1 in 2023 severely cratered the pad. Upgrades for Block 3 vehicles — debuting on Flight 12 — include enhanced flow rates and distribution to handle the increased thrust and acoustic energy of the latest Raptor 3 engines.

Videos from the test show the deluge activating for its planned duration, creating dense clouds of water vapor and spray that enveloped the pad area. Commentators on X praised the performance, with one user noting, “WOW! Starbase Pad 2 water deluge is something else! 33 Raptor 3 engines, no problem, I’m saying!” The successful run bolsters confidence ahead of Flight 12, which will mark the first orbital attempt with the Block 3 (V3) configuration of Starship and Super Heavy.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has targeted early March 2026 — potentially as soon as March 7 — for the launch, pending final integrations, static fire tests and regulatory approvals. Booster 19, the Super Heavy prototype assigned to Flight 12, recently completed multiple cryogenic proof tests without issues, addressing anomalies that led to the scrapping of its predecessor, Booster 18. Engine installation of the 33 Raptor 3s is progressing at Mega Bay 1, while Ship 39 undergoes preparations for stacking.

The test comes amid broader momentum for the Starship program. The Federal Aviation Administration recently finalized an environmental review allowing increased launch and landing activity at Starbase, clearing the path for a higher flight cadence in 2026. SpaceX aims to demonstrate key milestones with Flight 12, including improved engine reliability, heat shield performance during reentry and potential in-orbit capabilities paving the way for future refueling demonstrations, lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis program and eventual Mars exploration.

No payload has been announced for Flight 12, consistent with recent integrated flight tests focused on vehicle validation rather than operational missions. The flight profile is expected to mirror recent successes: liftoff from Starbase, booster catch attempt using the Mechazilla tower arms, and Ship achieving orbital velocity before a targeted splashdown in the Indian Ocean or Pacific.

Observers note that the viral water test underscores SpaceX’s iterative approach — rapid testing to refine systems before committing to flight. While some early speculation misinterpreted the footage as a failure, experts emphasized its positive implications for pad longevity and environmental protection during high-thrust launches.

SpaceX has not issued an official statement on the test beyond community updates, but the event aligns with preparations for an aggressive 2026 schedule that could see multiple Starship flights if milestones continue to be met. As regulatory reviews and vehicle integrations advance, attention now shifts to static fire testing of Booster 19 and potential stacking with Ship 39 in the coming weeks.