Life at the bleeding-edge of technology must be getting expensive for phone makers, as prices, pretty much across the board, are going in one direction: up!

The iPhone 8 is expected to retail for over $1000 when it launches later on this year; the Galaxy S8 is way more expensive than its predecessor. Hell, even the OnePlus 5 is more expensive than its predecessor - though only by $50.

The next, major release to drop is Samsung’s HUGELY anticipated Galaxy Note 8. But there is some bad news, according to the latest leaks: this handset, like the iPhone 8 it will compete with, is going to be IMMENSELY expensive when it drops in a couple of months.

How expensive? Simple: after taxes, in the US, you will be looking at $1000+ for a new Galaxy Note 8. In Europe, prices are rumoured to start at  €999, which is very pricey indeed.

Apple is the phone space’s trend-setter, more or less, and that goes for prices too, even if rivals are seeking to undercut it more often than not. The company is the most successful tech brand of all time, so this type of thing is to be expected.

The iPhone 8, which has been leaking all over the place for months now, will apparently retail for over $1000. This isn’t an established fact, but it is now the consensus of most respected analysts. The Note 8’s pricing, therefore, is simply Samsung following suit.

Apple’s prices go up, so too does Samsung’s, just as surely as tick follows tock.

Samsung’s latest earnings report showed the company made a $6.8 billion net profit (and these figures are from prior to the S8’s release). The higher cost of acquiring its phones in 2017, however, might put off something potential users.

I know the idea of paying $1000 for a phone doesn’t do much for me. If anything, I’d be more inclined to do with something like the OnePlus 5 or wait and see whether Google comes to market with a cheaper, Nexus-style Pixel later this year.

Whatever way you slice it, though, one thing is now almost certain: if you want a top of the range iPhone or Samsung phone in 2017, you’re REALLY going to have to pay for it.