Samsung Galaxy S26: Everything we know so far

Samsung's Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra are among the best phones of 2025, and we are starting to see leaks about next year's Galaxy S26. It's clear why there is increased enthusiasm around the 2026 devices — the Galaxy S25 doesn't bring considerable upgrades to the table, so potential buyers are waiting to see if Samsung does something differently next year.

Samsung will likely continue its usual release cadence, so the S26 series should make its debut sometime in Q1 2026. The latest information suggests Samsung is set to retain a trio of models — the Galaxy S26, S26 Pro, and S26 Ultra — but with the S25 Edge debuting several months after the regular models, we'll have to wait and see how that device does and if Samsung decides to launch the model alongside the other phones next year. With that out of the way, here's what we know about the Galaxy S26.

Samsung Galaxy S26: We may finally get a new design

Samsung didn't really change the design this year, and the S25 and S25+ are identical to their predecessors. That was always going to be the case considering how little the design changed with the S24 series itself, and we're basically in the third year of the same design.

If anything, it's the S25 Ultra is the only device that is noticeably different to last year's model. Samsung went with flatter sides and rounded edges this time, and the device is thinner and lighter than the S24 Ultra, a big deal in and of itself. What I like is that it is narrower than last year; this was a problem on the S24 Ultra, so I'm glad to see Samsung rectifying that this time.

With the S26 series, Samsung is said to be overhauling the design. We don't know what the design will look like, and it is unlikely that Samsung will radically alter the overall aesthetic — the minimal design with individual rings around the cameras is distinctive to Galaxy devices, and the brand wouldn't want to make too many alternations to that style. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing better colors and materials, and a little added design flair on the Ultra model.

Leaks point to Samsung going with a thinner design on all Galaxy S26 models, and it should be in line with what the brand did with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This is set to be achieved by using thinner camera modules that don't jut out as much, and the frame itself is likely to have a thin profile against the S25 models. We may also get rounded designs that should make these phones better to hold and use, but we'll need to wait and see if Samsung actually bothers to change the overall aesthetic.

Samsung Galaxy S26 will get the latest Snapdragon tech

With the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 now available, it's guaranteed that Samsung will use it on the Galaxy S26 series. Like the last two years, Samsung is set to roll out a custom version of the chip that should give it a distinct edge over other phones that will feature the platform.

While that's interesting, not all regions will get Qualcomm-based hardware. Samsung is likely to continue its dual-sourcing strategy, and most global markets should get the Exynos-based Galaxy S26 instead.

Samsung Galaxy S26 will get huge imaging upgrades

Vivo's X300 Pro is the best camera you can buy today, and while it has a standout main camera, it's the 200MP telephoto that gives it a distinct advantage. The high-resolution lens takes outstanding portrait shots at 3x and detailed photos up to 30x, and it is one of my favorite things about the device.

Honor also used a 200MP telephoto lens in the Magic 7 Pro, but it isn't the same sensor as the X300 Pro. That said, it also takes terrific photos and portrait shots. It's clear that these massive imaging modules make a difference, and Honor has a nifty AI-assisted mode that cleans up photos, delivering clean shots at up to 100x.

Ironically, the camera sensors used on both of these phones are made by Samsung, and I don't really know why the brand doesn't use it on its phones instead. That could be changing in 2026, as a new leak suggests Samsung will include a 200MP telephoto lens on the S26 Ultra, giving the phone a considerable upgrade.

We'll have to wait and see if the phone uses the newer HPB module (which is in the X300 Pro) or the HP3 that Honor went with, but it's good to see Samsung considering the module on its 2026 flagship. If anything, this is essential in 2026 if Samsung needs to challenge Chinese brands; when I tested the Find X8 Ultra against the Galaxy S25 Ultra, I found the latter's auxiliary cameras to be nowhere as good.

In a similar vein, Samsung is said to be considering using a variable lens on the Galaxy S26 Ultra's main camera; this is something the brand did with the Galaxy S10, so it knows how to do a good job in this regard.

Thankfully, the Galaxy S26 and S26 Pro should get a new 50MP main camera module, and it should offer a meaningful upgrade.

Samsung could use silicon batteries as standard

Another area where Samsung didn't make any changes this year is battery tech, with the S25 series offering similar-sized batteries as their predecessors. With most Chinese phones now coming with silicon-carbon batteries that have better durability and density, Samsung is on the backfoot.

That may change with the S26 series, as a recent leak out of Korea suggests Samsung is mulling a switch to silicon batteries next year. It could mean bigger batteries within the same chassis — just like the X300 Pro and other 2025 phones — and that's always a good thing.

I saw a leak that indicated Samsung will switch to 65W charging next year, and if anything, that sounds like wishful thinking rather than credible information. While it would be great to see faster charging on Samsung's phones, the brand has been cautious in this regard, and I don't see that changing in 2026 — I'd love to be proven wrong though.

Thankfully, Samsung may consider adding bigger batteries on its phones, and this should be a great move. Most Chinese brands now have 7,000mAh batteries on their devices, and while Samsung isn't going to do anything to that extent, bigger batteries than what we got on the S25 models would be good to have.

With Samsung rolling out Android 16, it's a given that the Galaxy S26 models will run the latest version of Android out of the box. The devices should get One UI 8.5 with new features — similar to what Samsung did with the S25 this year.

We'll get many more details about the Galaxy S26 series over the coming months, and I'll regularly update this article as and when new leaks surface. With this year's models being iterative, there's increased attention on what Samsung is doing in 2026, and the Galaxy S26 should deliver exciting upgrades.

On that note, we should see a price hike next year. With memory prices rising and Samsung not changing the retail prices of its phones in the last two years, the Galaxy S26 series could see $100 increases across the board, if not more.