The Samsung Galaxy S9 will set you back $850

Details of the Samsung Galaxy S9 are all but confirmed now. The upcoming Samsung has been verified to be launched alongside its plus-sized sibling, the S9+, on February 25, at MWC. While specifications are already known, there looks to be non-speculative word of its accompanying price tag for the first time. According to Techradar, the device will be launched with a price tag of US$850.

The report cites its source as information gotten from an industry insider, so there may just be truth to it. The device will cost £789 in the UK. That's £100 more than the S8's £689 price tag. That differential in mind, we expect the S9 to also cost $100 more than its predecessor, which would place its price tag at a hefty $850. The S8+ went for $850 at launch, so the S9+ can be expected to retail for $950.

Make no mistake, those are sizeable price tags. The smartphone industry has seen a large bump in the prices of flagships over the past two years. The Samsung Galaxy S7 launched with an MSRP below $700 two years ago, and an extra $200 bump over that period may be considered excessive by some. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8, alongside the Pixel 2 XL and iPhone X, on the other hand, were all launched with price tags close the $1000 mark. 

The price of the S9 should come as no surprise to fans of the OEM, too, as insider information a few weeks ago claimed that the company would snub higher shipment numbers in favor of larger profit margins.

Flagships have been getting more expensive and one has to ask if they offer still sensible value for money. As long as there are takers—and there surely will be—it's about time we came to terms with the fact that the age of thousand-dollar flagships is upon us.