Near galaxy: demand for new Samsung in Russia is 1.5 times higher than last year
The pre-order for the new flagship Samsung Galaxy S26 turned out to be 1.5 times higher on average than for last year's model, electronics sellers told Izvestia. They explain the increase in demand with a more affordable price — in Russia, the novelty costs about 20% less than its predecessor, as well as a set of new features, including AI capabilities and screen protection from peeping. Experts believe that it makes sense to buy a smartphone instead of devices that are already several years old, while owners of the Galaxy S25 can wait to upgrade. It is possible that the Samsung Galaxy S26 will be more profitable to purchase a month after the start of global sales and the appearance of the device on Russian online platforms. Izvestia investigated which versions of the smartphone are imported into Russia and whether all the functions will work.
How the pre-order for the new Samsung flagship started in Russia
The pre-order for the new Samsung Galaxy S26 smartphone, launched in Russia on February 25, turned out to be 1.5 times higher than for last year's flagship S25. Preliminary sales results were reported to Izvestia by electronics sellers.
So, on the first day after the world premiere, the number of paid pre-orders in the Samsung Galaxy Store exceeded the figures for the same period last year by 45%, said Lyudmila Semushina, a representative of Inventive Retail Group. In "M.Video" this volume also turned out to be 1.5 times higher. And at MTS, demand for the Galaxy S26 exceeded last year's model by 31%, Andrey Gubanov, CEO of the company's retail chain, told Izvestia.
— The most popular model is the Galaxy S26 Ultra 512 GB purple. Next comes the S26 Ultra 512 GB in black. We attribute the good result of the pre-order to new functions and characteristics: the built—in antispyware mode, an updated hardware platform and an improved camera system working in conjunction with optimized AI functions," Lyudmila Semushina clarified to Izvestia.
In "M.The increase in pre-orders is attributed to a combination of factors: noticeable technological updates to devices, an expanded palette of new colors, and more attractive starting prices compared to the Galaxy S25 series.
— We expect that the S26 line will become one of the drivers of sales in the premium segment, — Andrey Gubanov added. He previously reported that the pre-order for the S25 series in 2025 was the highest in the last three years.
According to the Mobile Research Group, on the first day of pre-order in Russia, just over 10,000 S26s of all configurations were sold. According to the forecast of the company's leading analyst Eldar Murtazin, about 30 thousand new flagships will be ordered in our country in the first month. According to him, for parallel imports, the devices are mainly imported from Armenia and other EAEU countries, while there will be no specific functional restrictions on them.
This route was chosen for a reason: some Samsung smartphones imported from other regions have problems activating in Russia, experts told Izvestia. Smartphones are allowed to be activated only in the regions where they are shipped: for example, to turn on a device purchased in India, you need to insert a SIM card from a local operator and talk for a few minutes. Without this, activation in the Russian Federation is almost impossible. Taking into account these features, almost all large shipments are now imported from Russia's neighboring countries, one of the Izvestia interlocutors added.
Which Galaxy should I get and where
The pre—order of the Samsung Galaxy S26 from some retailers is actually a delayed delivery sale: some stores charge 100% prepayment for online orders, according to participants in the electronics market interviewed by Izvestia.
—The Galaxy S26 is entering the market at a more attractive starting price compared to the S25 — the novelty has become up to 22% cheaper, which makes advanced technologies more accessible to a wide audience," said the commercial director of M.Video" Sergey Uvarov.
In the Samsung Galaxy Store, for example, the pre-order for the S26 with 256 GB of memory is 89.99 thousand rubles, whereas a year ago the S25 with the same volume cost 109.99 thousand. The 512 GB model is currently selling for 104.99 thousand rubles against 119.99 thousand rubles in 2025. Retailers note that smartphone prices are lower during pre-order, and they may rise later.
The start of global sales is scheduled for March 11. Experience shows that new products will appear on Russian online platforms in a few days and are likely to cost 10-20% less than in large networks, predicts Denis Kuskov, CEO of TelecomDaily.
Wildberries also notes a high interest in Samsung's new flagship. Compared to the first day of sales of the S25, orders for the S26 increased fourfold. The company attributes this to the smartphone's new features — an "antispyware" screen, enhanced AI capabilities, and an improved camera. Most often, customers choose models with 256 GB and 512 GB memory in black. According to the forecasts of the online platform, the implementation of the new line may grow by 30% this year.
According to Eldar Murtazin, buyers of the new flagship are attracted by the lower price. In 2025, the cost of the S25 was overestimated due to a jump in the dollar exchange rate, he told Izvestia. Now is a good time to replace outdated models, such as the Galaxy S22. Given the falling demand for smartphones — the market in units decreased by 20% last year — we can say that the pre-order of the S26 started successfully, the analyst believes.
Lower prices and the desire to upgrade outdated gadgets really played a role, Denis Kuskov believes. Buyers are also attracted by technology: AI functions and a new "antispyware" screen that hides the image from prying eyes from the side. At the same time, if the intellectual capabilities and the screen are not crucial, the replacement of the old device can be done on the Galaxy S25, the expert believes.
The release of new Samsung smartphones has spurred interest in previous models, Avito noted. In February 2026, sales of the Galaxy S25 increased by 75% year-on—year, the S25+ by 81%, and the S25 Ultra by 68%.
— Customers often purchase smartphones of the previous generation on the eve of the release of new products. This allows you to save significantly, especially if updates in the new version are not critical. The average price of the Galaxy S25 Ultra decreased by 32% year—on-year and amounted to about 70 thousand rubles, which makes this gadget a more rational purchase in terms of price and features, the company noted.
Traditionally, the release of a new generation stimulates both direct demand for new products and interest in previous models, which are becoming more accessible, the online platforms emphasized. Given the sustained interest in the Galaxy line, active interest in the next generation of Samsung smartphones can be predicted in 2025, they concluded.
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