In today's market, your smartphone might be the only thing in your pocket that's gaining value. While we're used to electronics getting cheaper as they age, a combination of RAM shortages , shifting tariffs and inflation is forcing months-old smartphones to get unprecedented midlife price hikes of up to $200.

Meanwhile, new phones that usually get major upgrades each year aren't seeing meaningful quality-of-life improvements, yet we're still paying a premium. The new 256GB Samsung Galaxy S26 starts at $900, raising the entry point for the company's flagship phone line. The 256GB model of last year's Galaxy S25 also got a price bump, as Samsung quietly increases the online cost of its foldables and other devices.

It's not just Samsung.…