Mumbai: Samsung’s new foldable smartphones Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 are set to become costlier in India, according to leading retailers in the country. Priced between Rs. 1.25 lakh and Rs. 2.6 lakh, the new Samsung foldables bring the most refined foldable experience yet, combining purpose-built Galaxy AI with breakthrough engineering across hinge design, display, durability and performance.

Measuring 4.1mm when unfolded, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is Samsung’s thinnest Galaxy Z Fold yet. On the other hand, Galaxy Z Fold8 weighs just 201 grams, making it Samsung’s lightest Fold yet.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 secured record pre-orders in India, with nearly 2.71 lakh consumers pre-ordering these smartphones within just 72 hours of their launch, according to Samsung India. The devices opened to brisk sales earlier this month, but retailers fear a price hike may be around the corner given the unprecedented demand for memory chips that are a vital component for smartphones.

Samsung last month said that it has been absorbing the incremental cost of smartphones to a great extent keeping the consumers’ interest in mind. The company has also launched a long tenure zero-cost EMI for Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 buyers in India.

“If you compare how much they (competition) have increased the price, Samsung’s increment is relatively lesser than competition because we have been absorbing the cost. Not because we want to maintain the market share or grow the market share, but as a company that is focussed to provide the best devices, the loss that we are taking in 2026 is humongous,” JB Park, President and CEO of Samsung Southwest Asia said in London at the launch of the new Galaxy foldables.

Analysts say they will not be surprised if Samsung increases the prices of its new Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 smartphones in India.

According to research firm Smart Analytics Global, the smartphone market in India will continue to remain under pressure, given the global memory prices crisis. Prices of smartphones already retailing in the market will go up, and new smartphones could launch with a costlier price tag, the research firm added.

With the memory crisis becoming deeper, consumers could be well off buying smartphones and laptops now rather than waiting for discounts in the festive season, retailers added.