Galaxy S9 Leak Hints At Ultra Expensive Pricing For Samsung's Snapdragon 845 Flagships

If you are interested in the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9 Plus that are due to be announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) later this month, start saving your pennies and nickels now. Better add dimes and quarters to the pot as well. There are multiple reports that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will cost more than Samsung's current flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.

One of those reports comes from ETNews, a Korean-language website that says the Galaxy S9 will cost between 945,000 and 1,000,000 South Korean Won (KRW), versus 935,000 KRW for the Galaxy S8. That works out to around $860 to $920 in U.S. currency, though don't expect a straight conversion—that rarely happens, and instead companies typically set MSRPs in different countries that are close to one other, but not exactly the same.

The folks at TechRadar have heard the Galaxy S9 line will be more expensive than the Galaxy S8 family as well. Specifically, the site says pricing in the United Kingdom will be £789 (~$1,095) for the Galaxy S9, making it £100 more than the starting price of the Galaxy S8.

It's difficult to say where pricing will land in the U.S., even if assuming the above figures are accurate. Generally speaking, it looks like the Galaxy S9 could start anywhere from $849 to $999. That's not set in stone, of course, and the reports could flat out be wrong. It just all depends on how Samsung wants to approach the premium smartphone market with a pair of handsets that will be rocking Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor (stateside, anyway).

Apple seems to have proven that flagship phones can carry an even bigger premium that what smartphone makers have traditionally been charging. The iPhone X starts at $999, and according to Tim Cook, it has been Apple's top selling phone every week since launching in November.

In addition to being faster than the previous generation, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are expected to introduce improved cameras, with the Galaxy S9 getting a single 12-megapixel shooter and the Galaxy S9 Plus getting dual 12-megapixel shooters. It's said that the primary camera on both smartphones will have a variable aperture mechanism that can adjust from f/1.5 to f/2.4.

Thumbnail and Top Image Source: Twitter via Evan Blass (@evleaks)