I am starting this thread to discuss the Samsung S26 series, including specs, prices, and deals.
Rumors are that it will be available in late February 2026.
Are you sure they're locked? The ones we sell in eir are unlocked, and as far as I'm aware the only phones sold locked nowadays in Ireland are iPhones on Three billpay. Albeit freely unlockable once the contract is finished.
Have you made a claim on a grey market phone? I know they'll happily take your money to insure your phone.
As long as the company selling it to you is VAT registered, you should be ok, but I know that would be an exclusion if they're not.
Forget about grey market for a minute. It's getting you muddled.
Let's say that I have a small retail business & my turnover is under 85k. This is below the VAT registration threshold. I could sell a brand new Samsung phone but it would be illegal for me to charge VAT. I'M not breaking any laws, not even tax laws. The insurance company can't refuse to pay out because I didn't charge you VAT.
A shop not charging you VAT can't effect your insurance policy. Not if the phone is 100% legit. Not stolen 2nd hand, refurbished etc. In fact you aren't even legally entitled to a VAT receipt unless you are VAT registered. Obviously most stores give VAT receipts but they only have to give one if you are an accountable person. This is usually VAT registered but some disabled people might be accountable.
Virgin, Three etc won't give VAT receipts unless you take out the more expensive business plan.
An insurance company definitely can't refuse or even query a claim if you don't have a VAT receipt. All you need is the shop receipt
The link to the Revenue website might clear up the VAT issue
https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/vat-records-invoices-credit-notes/invoices/who-must-issue-vat-invoice.aspx
I'm not muddled, perhaps you are? My insurance policy says that i must have bought my phone from an Irish VAT registered company. Nothing to do with VAT on the phone.
The shop is VAT registered. Your insurance policy can't demand that you have a VAT receipt. All they can demand is that the shop is VAT registered
If you read the law on VAT on Revenues website then you will see that a VAT registered business doesn't have to issue you with a VAT receipt unless you are an accountable person.
I deal with VAT all day every day. I don't expect you to be as knowledgeable about it as me if you don't deal with it but Revenue make the requirements very clear on their website. I'm not asking you to take my word for it but I would expect you take Revenue website as factual 🤷
I have no idea why you keep talking about VAT receipts. I'm saying the insurance company won't pay out (at least on my policy) if I don't buy from a VAT registered company. Nothing to do with the receipt.
I have bought grey market phones from guys who sell out of their house, and I highly doubt they have a VAT registered company. My point is to be careful who you buy from if your intention is to insure.
You aren't listening to me. These ARE VAT registered shops. They will give you a VAT receipt for these phones BUT they will have to change you an extra 23% VAT for you to get a VAT receipt.
Your insurance company can demand a VAT registered shop & these shops are all VAT registered. This meets the requirements of your insurance policy. Your insurance company can't demand a VAT receipt because the store doesn't have to give you a VAT receipt unless you are an accountable person.
Using these stores does not effect your insurance policy in any way
I've explained it to you several times. I honestly don't think it's that difficult to understand
Jesus man, are you ok? I've explained the same thing to you multiple times and you keep repeating yourself.
Yes, if the shop is VAT registered, you're fine. If you buy from someone who isn't VAT registered (which I'm sure is the case for some of these sellers online) then you could have an issue.
I'm only trying to make sure people are careful who they buy from if they go the grey market route, but thanks for trying to repeatedly tell me something I already know, I guess? 🤦
These sellers online are shops. They aren't allowed to advertise their shops because the ads costs much more for businesses than private sellers. They put up photos of several phones and have their business card visible on the photo. You can literally walk into the store and & buy the phone.
There is a hint in the ad. "Comes with store receipt". This means it's a store.
I suggest you look at Adverts & DoneDeal and read the ads before you continue commenting. These are all stores that you can walk into and buy the phone. Kilbarrack shopping center has 2 of these stores. Raheny Shopping center has one Donnamede shopping has 3 of these stores. I'm sure Clare Hall has a few too. These are all bricks and mortar VAT registered that advises online
You are the only poster that is talking about a private seller. Every one else is posting about Grey market phones with shop receipt. Go back and have a read at all the other posts.
Buying from a private seller without a store receipt is a terrible idea. No warranty without the store receipt. Phone might not be new, could be refurbished or even stolen.
I had an s23 on bill pay and needed to get it unlocked to trade it for an s26
I was onto three chat and he couldn't confirm if they are locked and I don't have it yet as it's out of stock. Chat said it can be unlocked 14 days after purchase. My delivery date is 23rd march and I am going outside of Europe on 30th but he said that's okay it can be unlocked because I bought it on 9th March assuming that it is locked.
All Samsung phones are unlocked since they all became dual sim.
It started from S9/S10 I think
Worse case scenario, your local phone repair shop can unlock it in minutes for €15 or €20 euro. Available free is better but it's an option in case you are stuck
I was having a lot of trouble with waking the screen on mine. Sometimes taking 5 or 6 presses to wake, after a quick Google a safe restart was suggested which I'd never heard of but it worked an absolute treat. It fixes any issues an app might be having. Just hold down the side button and down volume button together for 10 seconds
Finally got rid of my S25 Ultra, so cost of upgrade this year worked out to about €180, albeit going from 512GB to 256GB. Initially expected it to be up around €400-500, so happy enough with the deal in the end.
Good man.
How much did you get for your S25U 512GB?
€750. A bit more hassle than trade in, but probably still worth it.
Anyone looking for the s26 Ultra 256gb at the pre order offer price of €933 PM me have a couple that I'll either sell for price paid or return to Samsung in next few days
Trade in process was very smooth this year. Sent my phone trade in last Thursday 12th March. Got the email on Monday 16th to say it was received, and another today to say the trade in was completed.
These are gone now thanks
Three are shocking my pre-order has been delayed again until 17th of April!!!!
Edit: Went into store and got the black version straight away. Cancelled the online order.
Biggish update pushed out last night
800MB+
Can confirm that my vodafone bill pay S22 didn't need unlocking when I switched to 3 and the S26 ultra (phone and sim arrived before the otterbox so new sim went in the old phone initially).
got a reply from samsung about my trade in , seems like the lens cover is cracked and they want me to pay 118 euro to fix it , no thanks , i was only getting 206 euro for an s23 anyway so they can feck off , I know the lens cover is cheap to fix so they are really taking the piss with 118 , really annoyed last year they were giving 250 for broken devices , anyway first world problems .
I've traded in multiple phones to Samsung over the years and have never had any issue with them but i always take a video of the phone working before i post it back to them. I've read a lot of stuff online about people allegedly sending perfect phones and the centre stating they are have broken screens etc when they arrive even when boxed.
Actually for the S26U order i sent back my S23U and Buds 3 pro in the one package with both barcodes and docs and i received an email saying the received the buds but not the phone yet i've emailed them saying both were in the one package which was delivered last week.
Shouldn't you have fixed the lens cover before sending it back ? As it's cheap fix ? Then it would have got the full trade price.
Well if I had noticed it I would have , I just think its the over the cost price to pay for them to fix it that's hard to take .
Saw a grey market brand new s26 ultra 256GB for €1169 there in Dublin
Anybody have an inkling as to when we might see some deals popping up? 512gb version seems to be around 1200 for the grey market option, but historically how long after release before a bargain can be snagged?
