Galaxy S26 latest news: Pro all but confirmed, plus a slimmer Edge

Design

As the Galaxy S26 Edge seems prepped to be the full-on replacement for the Galaxy Plus line, Samsung is doubling down on its efforts to offer one of the slimmest phones on the market. The original S25 Edge was already fairly slimline at 5.8mm thick, but now it appears as if its successor will shrink down even further to a minuscule 5.5mm.

The S26 Ultra is also rumoured to get thinner, potentially down to under 8mm from the S25 Ultra’s 8.2mm. It’ll also apparently weigh “a few grams less” than the current 218g.

Beyond potential name changes, there’s currently no other confirmed information regarding specific design elements such as materials (glass, metal, or a combination), colour options, or overall aesthetic choices.

There’s a chance that the titanium frame, which is currently exclusive to the Ultra and Edge, will be applied to other model/s, but nothing has been revealed.

The other rumoured change we’ve heard about so far is the removal of the controversial camera rings that stick out of the back of the S25 Ultra (shown on the left below). These will apparently be gone, but with no impact on the IP68 water and dust resistance.

Luke Baker / Foundry

Significantly, despite the regular model being potentially replaced with a Pro version, the S26 Pro is expected to retain its compact design.

Given that Samsung has changed the design slightly on the Galaxy S25 series, from the Galaxy S24 series, its successor is likely to have the same look. However, it’d be nice to see the Bluetooth S Pen from the Galaxy S24 Ultra make a return, after it was replaced by a less functional one on the S25 Ultra.

Sources: The Elec | Android Headlines | PhoneArt via X (2) | Android Headlines | Ice Universe via X

Display

Word that the S26 Pro would feature a slightly larger 6.27-inch display compared to the current 6.2-inch panel on the Galaxy S25, has been corroborated. A recent leak seemingly confirms as much, bringing the phone slightly more in line with the larger displays Samsung tends to offer on most of its phones, although it’ll still be small enough to use comfortably one-handed.

Meanhile, the S26 Edge could get a 6.66-inch panel, and the S26 Ultra may feature a 6.89-inch display – if true, all three S26 phones would be slightly bigger than their predecessors.

To achieve this, the bezel on the S26 Ultra will supposedly be “no more than 1.2mm” – in other words, extremely slim. The top-end model will also apparently feature the third generation of Samsung’s anti-reflective glass.

Luke Baker / Foundry

One significant display development on the S26 Ultra could be the integration of Colour-filter-on-thin-film-encapsulation (CoE) technology into the S26 Ultra’s display.

This technology has the potential to make the display thinner, brighter, and more energy-efficient. It could be joined by “depolarizer” technology, which would supposedly reduce internal reflections.

The S26 Ultra display might also incorporate Samsung’s upcoming Flex Magic Pixel technology, which can control the viewing angles of each individual pixel on an AMOLED display. For example, this could seriously limit viewing angles when you’re using a banking app, ensuring that no-one can see any sensitive information from over your shoulder.

However, details regarding resolution, refresh rate, and the inclusion of advanced features such as under-display cameras or fingerprint sensors remain unknown at this time.

Sources: Jukan via X | The Elec | Android Headlines | Android Headlines (2) | PhoneArt via X | GSMArena | SamMobile

Performance

At this stage, it’s unclear which chipset will power the Galaxy S26 series, and in which regions.

One source suggests Samsung will “definitely” return to prioritising the use of its own Exynos processors in the S26 series. Specifically, it looks like that’ll be Exynos 2600, a successor to the Exynos 2500 that powers the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

However, it’s unclear if this would include North America, which has exclusively used Snapdragon chipsets in recent years, even when Exynos-powered non-Ultra models were available in Europe. It’d be a surprise to see no Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 models appear in any region. One source mentions both, suggesting that the Exynos 2600 is “under testing”.

Either way, it looks like Samsung is working with Qualcomm to develop its own version of the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 flagship, likely with the ‘for Galaxy’ tag once again. If a July 2025 report is to be believed, this chipset will power the S26 Ultra “across all markets”. It’ll apparently be joined by 16GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of internal storage.

Interestingly, this could be more than the simple overclocking we’ve seen on past models. While the regular 8 Elite 2 is rumoured to use a 3nm process, Samsung’s version could shift to a more advanced 2nm, which may yield more significant performance gains. It could even be made by Samsung rather than regular manufacturer TSMC, despite being expected to adopt the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 name.

Luke Baker / Foundry

Information regarding RAM and storage configurations is yet to be revealed. In the meantime, we’d expect it to remain roughly consistent with the current Galaxy S25 lineup.

Samsung is also rumoured to be giving its NFC feature a significant upgrade. On the Galaxy S25 series, the position of the coil near the camera lenses can make contactless payments challenging, but it’ll apparently move to the top of the device to make things easier.

Sources: Jukanlosreve on X | The Bell | The Financial News | Android Authority | Android Headlines | PhoneArt via X (2) | Android Authority | ET News

Cameras

The Galaxy S26 Ultra may feature a cutting-edge 200Mp periscope telephoto camera, up from 50Mp on the S25 Ultra. This would align Samsung with a growing trend among Chinese phone manufacturers who are increasingly incorporating high-resolution periscope lenses into their flagship devices. It’d be great to see the S26 Ultra get such a meaningful telephoto upgrade, but it doesn’t seem likely. Instead, the main lens will apparently get an “ultra-large aperture”, which would allow it to capture more light.

There was a hope for some time that the main sensor on the Galaxy S26 Ultra would be getting a major upgrade, after word that Sony was working on a 1.1” sensor. If that sensor does make its way to a Samsung phone, it won’t be the Galaxy S26 Ultra as the latest leaks show it adhering to the same 200Mp 1/1.3” sensor as last year, although it’s not a complete like for like comparison. The S26 Ultra should be moving to a wider aperture of f/1.4 which should help a great deal more when it comes to low-light photography.

According to reports, the device will feature a 50Mp telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom but a larger aperture than the S25 Ultra, while the separate 3x telephoto will supposedly be upgraded from 10Mp to 12Mp. An ultrawide lens is also mentioned, though it’s not clear if the current 50Mp lens will be upgraded.

Luke Baker

However, the front-facing camera might not be so impressive. The S26 Ultra could feature a UDC (Under Display Camera) on the front, eliminating the punch-hole selfie camera we see on the S25 Ultra, though it’s also possible that Samsung will hold off for a bit longer. The problem? Every under-display selfie lens currently on the market offers mediocre image quality at best, including Samsung’s own Galaxy Z Fold 6. We’d have to see a major upgrade to make it good enough for people who enjoy high-quality selfies.

Elsewhere, the regular Galaxy S26’s primary camera could come with a variable aperture. This would adapt to different lighting conditions, improving both bright daylight shots and low-light performance. There are multiple ways that Samsung could implement this feature. The tech giant could go for a dual-aperture option à la the Galaxy S9 (from back in 2019). Or, more likely, Samsung could follow Xiaomi’s lead with the 14 Ultra and let you pick from multiple aperture options.

The regular Galaxy S26 is expected to retain a 50Mp main rear lens like its predecessor. However, the Samsung ISOCELL GN3 that’s been in the last three generations of base model is expected to be replaced by an upgraded version from the same ISOCELL GN family, though the specific sensor isn’t known.

Luke Baker / Foundry

When it comes to the S26 Edge, which is likely to replace the Plus model in the lineup, the big rumour suggests an upgraded 50Mp ultrawide, but we don’t know anything else about its potential camera specs.

Details on the camera systems for the rest of the S26 series, including sensor sizes, video recording capabilities, and specific camera features such as advanced AI photography modes, remain under wraps. However, one report suggests the camera lenses themselves will be thinner across the range – could that mean less of a camera bump?

Sources: PandaFlash on X | Ice Universe on Weibo | kro (Good bye) on X | Lanzuk on Naver | Galaxy Club | The Elec | WinFuture | Android Headlines | Fixed focus digital via Weibo | PhoneArt via X | GSMArena

Battery & Charging

Silicon-carbon battery technology is a potential contender for the S26 series, introducing the possibility of boosting battery capacities up to the 6000-7000mAh range. This technology also holds the promise of higher energy density, potentially leading to improved battery life and faster charging speeds.

It’s still possible that the S26 Ultra’s battery won’t be larger than 5500mAh, though, even if it makes the shift. It’s unclear if a silicon-carbon battery will be reserved for the Ultra or available on other Galaxy S26 models. One report says the S26 Edge will get a bigger battery than its predecessor’s 3900mAh due to “new battery material technology”, but it’s not clear how major the increase will be.

However, a subsequent report suggests Samsung is unconvinced by silicon-carbon batteries and will instead decide to shift to new ‘battery protection units’ and stainless steel housing for the Galaxy S26 series. These will supposedly be more space-efficient, allowing for a larger capacity within the same total area, but any potential gains are likely to be minor.

In subsequent leaks, the S26 Ultra is mentioned as having a 5000mAh battery, but support for 60W fast charging. So, while the capacity would be unchanged, the charging would be a significant boost compared to 45W on the S25 Ultra.

Luke Baker / Foundry

As a reminder, even the top-end Galaxy S25 Ultra is limited to a 5000mAh battery with 45W wired charging and 15W wireless. According to one report, the S26 Ultra will finally get faster charging, but the 5000mAh capacity is expected to be maintained. Hopefully, the combination of a new chipset and efficiency gains elsewhere will enable a noticeable battery life improvement.

Multiple sources have now detailed that the Galaxy S26 Pro will have a larger 4300mAh battery. Given that the 4000mAh cell on the standard S25 was able to easily reach a day of use thanks to Samsung’s optimisations, having that extra room could make a big difference when it comes to day-to-day use of the Pro.

With regards to the Galaxy S26 Edge, the jury was out for quite some time as to whether or not the battery would leap from 3900mAh to 4600mAh, and now it seems as though those hopes were a bit too lofty for what Samsung has in mind, with the latest leaks now pointing towards a 4200mAh cell.

While nowhere near as much of an upgrade as we were hoping, given what Samsung could achieve with the S25 on a smaller cell, we hope that there’s a good amount of optimisation to really push that 4200mAh battery to its limits.

Sources: Ice Universe on Weibo | Jukanlosreve on X | The Financial News | PandaFlash on X | Android Authority (2) | The Elec | PhoneArt via X (2) (3) | Erencan Yılmaz via X | GalaxyClub | GSMArena | Android Headlines

Software

The S26 series is almost certain to launch with Android 16 as its base operating system. Samsung’s One UI 8, which will be based on it, is likely to run on top.

More specifically, a report suggests the Galaxy S26 phones will debut One UI 8.5, though it’s unclear what extra features this will include compared to One UI 8 itself. This has now supposedly been confirmed via firmware on Samsung’s server.

Luke Baker / Foundry

However, one feature we are expecting is an increased choice of virtual assistants. On the Galaxy S25 series, you’re limited to either Google Gemini or Bixby, but Samsung is apparently “talking to multiple vendors” about the possibility of expanding this lineup. Perplexity AI would be the most obvious addition, but there are other possibilities.

While not rumoured anywhere, we’d expect Samsung to continue with its class-leading promise of seven years of both OS and security updates for all the Galaxy S26 phones.

Sources: Tarun Vats on X | SamMobile | Bloomberg Technology via YouTube