Rumors around Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series are heating up, and recent leaks hint at major changes to the company’s flagship lineup. From scrapping certain models to new slimmer designs, here’s a full breakdown of what industry insiders are saying.
Possible Changes to the S26 Lineup
For months, speculation suggested Samsung might eliminate its base model and replace it with a Galaxy S26 Pro, signaling a shift toward a more premium strategy.
However, new reports claim that the “Pro” model might actually just be the standard Galaxy S26, and Samsung may keep a traditional three-phone lineup after all.
Another long-running rumor hinted that Samsung would drop the S26 Plus in favor of a successor to the ultra-thin S25 Edge. But more recent leaks indicate the Edge model may be discontinued instead, reportedly due to weaker sales compared to other S25 models.
Expected Release Timeline
Samsung traditionally reveals new Galaxy S devices early in the year. The S25 series launched on January 22, 2025, and went on sale in early February.
If Samsung follows the same pattern, the Galaxy S26 lineup could debut in early 2026, with additional models possibly announced later in the year—similar to how the S25 Edge and S25 FE were introduced separately.
Galaxy S26 (Base / Pro) – Rumored Specs
Leaked images show a familiar design, but with a notable change:
✅ a vertical raised camera module with triple lenses, unlike the flush design on the S25.
Camera rumors are mixed:
- One report claims a big jump to a 50MP ultrawide sensor
- Another suggests the same camera setup as last year
Other possible specs include:
- Slightly larger 6.3-inch display
- Slimmer and marginally larger overall build
- Up to 12GB RAM, 512GB storage
- 4,300mAh battery
- Next-gen AI-focused processor
Samsung’s mobile chief recently teased “next-gen AI, new sensors, and a 2nd-generation custom chipset,” strongly hinting that some S26 models will ship with the Exynos 2600.
However, US and China models are expected to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which promises faster speeds and improved power efficiency.
Galaxy S26 Plus – or Edge?
- Early leaks suggested the new S26 Edge would be one of Samsung’s thinnest phones ever—around 5.5mm, even thinner than the iPhone Air.
- More recent reports now claim Samsung may cancel the Edge and release a more traditional S26 Plus instead.
Rumored features for the S26 Plus:
- Flat 6.7-inch screen
- Slim chassis around 7.35mm
- Same raised vertical triple-camera layout
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Exynos 2600 depending on market
Galaxy S26 Ultra – the most certain device
While other models remain in flux, the S26 Ultra appears locked in.
Leaked renders show:
- Slightly rounder corners
- New raised vertical camera island
- Slimmer 7.9mm body
- Massive 6.9-inch M14 OLED display — brighter and more efficient
However, the camera hardware may stay similar:
- 200MP main sensor
- 50MP ultrawide
- 10MP 3x telephoto
- 50MP 5x telephoto
- 12MP front camera
Expected hardware:
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in US & China / Exynos 2600 elsewhere
- Up to 16GB RAM, 1TB storage
- 5,000mAh battery
- Faster 60W wired charging
