Samsung might bring back the 8GB RAM era to the mainstream flagships next year. The company is rumored to have been planning 8GB RAM variants of the Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27+, just a few years after dropping it from the flagship family.

Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27+ are the only victims of the potential 8GB RAM configuration, as the other two models, including the Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra, are still expected to start at 12GB RAM.

Meanwhile, the storage will still start at 256GB, not 128GB. The company may just use the 8GB RAM to keep costs under control (via kro/X). The semiconductor crunch has already squeezed profits, and such changes are inevitable.

Galaxy S27 Ultra may introduce a 16GB RAM variant, paired with 1TB of storage. The company is also reportedly planning to launch a Galaxy S27 Pro version equipped with 16GB of RAM, potentially with 1TB storage.

Galaxy S27 Series: Expected memory configurations

• Galaxy S27: 8/12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage
• Galaxy S27+: 8/12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage
• Galaxy S27 Pro: 12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage.
  • A 16GB RAM option is reportedly under consideration.
• Galaxy S27 Ultra: 12/16GB RAM, 256GB/512GB/1TB storage.

While the 16GB and 1TB options stay, the pricing might not be favorable. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have steadily raised memory semiconductor prices, and Apple’s acceptance has already confirmed an impact on others.

No promotions likely to be offered

Samsung has already ended free storage upgrades on its flagships. With the latest foldables, the promotion remained limited to South Korea. Galaxy S27 series may continue the trend by dropping the double storage upgrade promotion.

Instead, the company may offer a subsidy if you prefer a large memory version. Small discounts may be offered rather than a full storage upgrade as a freebie.

Earlier, a report also revealed that Samsung hasn’t yet finalized the UFS and LPDDR versions for the flagship phones. However, the semiconductor crunch may eventually restrict UFS 5.0 and LPDDR6 on select S27 variants.

Image: Galaxy S27 series third-party cases | Source: Ice Universe

Samsung is reportedly still deciding the RAM and storage options for the upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra. According to a supply chain source, the company has yet to finalize the memory and storage configurations for both models.

Although the major components of the Galaxy S27 series have reportedly been finalized, Samsung is still discussing how much RAM and storage each variant should offer. These decisions are expected to be completed soon, allowing the company to move closer to mass production.

The main reason for the delay is the rising cost of new technologies. Samsung is considering using LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage in the Galaxy S27 series. These technologies could make the phones faster and improve overall performance, but they may also increase production costs.

Samsung needs to decide how widely it will use these technologies in the Pro and Ultra models while keeping prices and performance competitive. The final decision could determine which RAM and storage options customers will get.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S27 series launch schedule has also reportedly become clearer. According to the information, Samsung is currently planning to release the lineup in January next year, with February being the latest possible timeframe under consideration.

However, Samsung has not officially confirmed the launch date or the final specifications. More details about the Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra’s RAM and storage options are expected once the company finalizes its decisions. Stay tuned.

Samsung is reportedly working on a new rugged smartphone with a new useful feature. The upcoming Galaxy XCover phone could have a built-in RFID scanner to help users track products and manage stock easily.

According to the latest information, a Samsung phone with the model number SM-G778B has appeared on Geekbench, a platform that tests smartphone performance. The listing suggests that the phone could use Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Q-6690 chipset.

The main feature of this chipset is its built-in RFID reader. RFID uses radio waves to identify and track items with special tags. It is commonly used in warehouses, shops, and delivery businesses.

Unlike regular barcodes, RFID tags can be scanned wirelessly without pointing a scanner directly at each item. This could help workers scan multiple products faster and save time. The built-in reader could also reduce the need for a separate scanning device.

Image via SammyGuru

The chipset also supports 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and UWB. The Geekbench listing suggests that the phone could come with 8GB of RAM and run Android 16.

Another clue is Samsung’s trademark application for the name “Galaxy XCover Scan,” reportedly filed in September. This suggests that Samsung may be planning a phone with special scanning features for business users.

Image via SammyGuru

However, Samsung has not confirmed whether the phone and trademark are connected. It is also unclear whether the RFID scanner will be included in the final device. Samsung’s next rugged phone could offer more than a tough design. It could also help workers track products quickly and easily.

Apple’s new foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, has revealed its battery details through the European Union’s energy label database. The phone comes with a 4,883mAh battery and is rated for 1,000 charging cycles before its battery health drops to 80%.

The iPhone Duo has a bigger battery than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8’s rated capacity of 4,660mAh. However, other Android foldable phones offer even larger batteries. The Xiaomi 18 Fold reportedly has a 6,000mAh battery, while the HUAWEI Pura X Max comes with a 5,300mAh battery.

When it comes to battery durability, Samsung may have an advantage. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rated for 1,200 charging cycles before its battery capacity drops to 80%. In comparison, the iPhone Duo is rated for 1,000 cycles. This means Samsung’s battery may handle more charging cycles before reaching the same battery-health level.

However, the iPhone Duo may last longer on a single charge. According to the EU database, it offers 51 hours and 30 minutes of battery endurance per charge cycle. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rated for 49 hours and 10 minutes.

Apple’s close connection between hardware and software may help the iPhone Duo use less power. This could explain why it has a higher battery endurance rating despite facing strong competition from Android phones.

Still, Apple has room to improve its battery technology. Android brands are offering bigger batteries and higher charging-cycle ratings, making the competition stronger in the foldable phone market.

The iPhone Duo offers good battery performance and may last longer on a single charge. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a higher charging-cycle rating, which could give it an advantage in long-term battery durability.

Samsung may have adjusted the Galaxy S27 series launch window, as the latest leaks point to an earlier debut than the previous lineup.

Galaxy S27 launch window leaks

Korea-based Naver blogger Lanzuk reports that Samsung has finalized the launch schedule of the Galaxy S27 series, with plans including January and February of 2027.

The source also claims that the Korean tech giant has finalized the key components for the upcoming flagship phones. With schedule management having begun, the final decision depends on the supply chain and the final call.

This year, Samsung announced the Galaxy S26 series in late February, which pushed the general release to March. This happened due to the late development of the S26 Plus, which was nearly set to drop in favor of the S26 Edge.

For the Galaxy S27 series, Samsung has “currently scheduled” the launch window in January next year. The launch could be postponed to early February as well, depending on the industry aperture and component supplies.

It seems a preemptive move by Samsung to maintain an edge. Apple has adjusted the launch of the standard iPhone 18 to early next year. The potential launch timeline clashes with Samsung’s new flagship phones in 2027.

UFS 5.0 and LPDDR6 plans

Increasing memory costs have made it difficult to take an early call on the utilization of next-generation DRAM and NAND flash semiconductors.

Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra should be utilizing UFS 5.0 and LPDDR6 memory chips, but they are not final yet, as these upgrades would hit the bill of materials hard, potentially harming the wallets of Samsung consumers in 2027.