Multiple leaks now suggest Samsung's Galaxy S26 series will hit stores much later than usual. Reliable sources indicate an official unveiling at a February Unpacked event in the United States, with actual sales not starting until March. This schedule would miss the key Chinese New Year sales period in February, a notable shift from their typical launch rhythm.
The phones themselves appear to be evolutionary updates. The standard S26 model might get a slightly larger display, while the S26 Ultra is expected to be thinner with more rounded edges and a larger front camera cutout. All models are slated to bring improved iPhone-level wireless charging speeds and the return of distinct rear camera islands. The Ultra variant will supposedly support sixty-watt wired and twenty-five-watt wireless charging paired with a large battery.
For chipsets, the S26 Ultra will exclusively use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 globally. The plus and base models will feature Samsung's new Exynos 2600 processor in some markets. Camera specs hint at incremental upgrades, with the base model reportedly using a fifty-megapixel main sensor, a twelve-megapixel ultrawide, and a ten-megapixel telephoto. The Ultra is rumored to carry a two-hundred-megapixel main sensor, paired with new fifty-megapixel ultrawide and periscope lenses, plus a twelve-megapixel triple telephoto setup.
The phones themselves appear to be evolutionary updates. The standard S26 model might get a slightly larger display, while the S26 Ultra is expected to be thinner with more rounded edges and a larger front camera cutout. All models are slated to bring improved iPhone-level wireless charging speeds and the return of distinct rear camera islands. The Ultra variant will supposedly support sixty-watt wired and twenty-five-watt wireless charging paired with a large battery.
For chipsets, the S26 Ultra will exclusively use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 globally. The plus and base models will feature Samsung's new Exynos 2600 processor in some markets. Camera specs hint at incremental upgrades, with the base model reportedly using a fifty-megapixel main sensor, a twelve-megapixel ultrawide, and a ten-megapixel telephoto. The Ultra is rumored to carry a two-hundred-megapixel main sensor, paired with new fifty-megapixel ultrawide and periscope lenses, plus a twelve-megapixel triple telephoto setup.