The Galaxy S26 Ultra now costs more than iPhone 18 Pro Max thanks to chip shortage

Samsung’s latest Galaxy S26 price hikes, driven by the ongoing DRAM and NAND shortage, are a clear signal that memory supply constraints are materially increasing the cost of premium endpoints. For CIOs and technology leaders, this raises near-term procurement and refresh costs, complicates budget planning, and may force tighter device standardization, earlier buying decisions, or broader vendor diversification to manage total cost of ownership. The fact that the S26 Ultra now exceeds the iPhone 18 Pro Max in price underscores how component shortages can quickly reshape enterprise mobility economics and vendor positioning.