After all these years of being an avid follower of the Android domain, I have somehow not gotten a smartwatch for myself, despite wanting one. It'll happen one day, but I'm waiting for the right time (and a few extra hundred dollars sitting around in my pocket). Samsung's Galaxy Watch seems like the obvious choice, though I'm not so sure anymore.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 lineup will hit the scene early next month, along with the OEM's foldables. However, one thing that might make the new series less appealing to prospective buyers (beyond the new design) is the fact that the pricing of the smartwatches could see an unfavorable change. Let's talk about it.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic Could See a Notable Price Hike
The Samsung Galaxy Watch series is likely the first direction that Android users in need of a smartwatch look. Samsung is a massive entity in the Android space, so that's not too much of a surprise. Its smartwatches aren't priced too badly next to competitors, so most people will pay a few extra dollars to get a Samsung smartwatch. There's a limit to how much people are willing to pay, though.
Rumors, coming from WinFuture, say that the Galaxy Watch 8 lineup could see some notable increases on the price tag, at least in European markets.
| Price (Euros) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 40mm | ~€360 |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 44mm | ~€400 |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic | ~€500 |
There's very little reason to believe that a European price hike won't translate to buyers in other countries, especially in North America, and in those regions, the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic could see as much as a $50 price hike across all sizes.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra Might Stay Unchanged in Price
What about the Galaxy Watch Ultra, you ask? Well, that smartwatch already costs an eye-watering amount of money, and thankfully, it doesn't seem set to see its own price hike. Instead, it seems like it will stay at the €699, or $650, price point that it launched at.
One perk of the Watch Ultra keeping the same price, on Samsung's side of things, is that the smaller delta between the other models and the Watch Ultra gives the illusion of the Ultra model seeming less of a ridiculous buy.
The Price Hike Could Be Due to Tariff-Related Profit Slimming
One of the reasons Samsung may be increasing the price of the Galaxy Watch 8 models is due to a rumored upgrade from 32GB of storage to 64GB. However, in terms of component costs, that shouldn't explain away a €50 increase.
Samsung may not be achieving the profit margins it wants, and with the potential for US tariffs to impact other device sales, the company may be seeking a way to offset the costs it's absorbing for smartphones and other key products. Peripherals and accessories are a pretty effective way for that to happen.
