Samsung Quietly Raises Galaxy Z Fold 7 Prices by $80 Amid Global Memory Chip Shortage
Samsung has quietly raised US prices on two Galaxy Z Fold 7 models by $80, joining Motorola in a growing trend of smartphone price increases driven by the global memory chip shortage.
Price Changes
| Model | Previous Price | New Price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 256GB | $1,999.99 | $1,999.99 | No change |
| 512GB | $2,119.99 | $2,199.99 | +$80 |
| 1TB | $2,419.99 | $2,499.99 | +$80 |
Context
- The price hike applies only to the two higher-storage tiers
- The base 256GB model remains at its original $1,999.99 launch price
- All three models share the same 12GB RAM (the 1TB has 16GB)
- A Galaxy Z Fold 8 successor is expected in a couple of months
The RAM Crisis Connection
This price increase lands amid a broader memory chip shortage that is rippling through the smartphone industry:
- Memory chip prices have quadrupled in the past year
- Multiple Chinese phone manufacturers have already raised prices
- Motorola raised prices on several phone models the same week
- Samsung itself is both a major memory chip producer and a consumer of its own chips
Analysis
An $80 increase on a $2,000+ foldable is relatively small in percentage terms, but a post-launch price hike on an existing product without any changes is unusual and signals genuine component cost pressure. The fact that it targets only the higher-storage variants suggests the NAND flash supply situation may be particularly acute.
For consumers considering a foldable purchase, this trend suggests waiting may not lead to lower prices. If anything, the component environment points to continued upward pressure on premium device pricing through the rest of 2026.