Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra rumored to feature striking blacked-out design and camera bump

What you need to know

• Samsung may introduce a blackout design for the Galaxy S26 Ultra with a black frame.
• The Galaxy S26 Ultra could feature a camera bump inspired by the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
• Rumors indicate a potential increase in selfie camera lens cutout size for wider field of view.

As Samsung prepares for the anticipated release of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, whispers of a striking blackout design emerge from industry insiders, hinting at an innovative take on aesthetics that could redefine flagship smartphone styling for 2026.

Rumors on X from a known tipster, Ice Universe, claim that Samsung could tweak the black option for its Galaxy S26 Ultra (via Android Headlines). Typically, Samsung's device colors offer their distinct coloring on the back panel, leaving the frame with a lighter, almost metal hue. What Ice Universe suggests is that Samsung will change its darkest hue by wrapping the coloring over its edges, especially around its display.

The tipster states, "This time, the Galaxy S26 Ultra black version features a black frame." However, it seems consumers might be in for a slight visual anomaly if this happens.

The post on X states, "overall visual bezel is inevitably wider," because of the black edges around the display. The bezels are the black border around a display, a distinct marker that separates the display from its edges. If that and the frame is black, it might give the illusion that the S26 Ultr has massive bezels, when that (might not) be the case.

User comments on X have gone separate ways, with some users praising this potential, while others claim we're headed for scratch central. Another tipster, theonecid, chimed in with a mock-up rendering of what a true Jet Black Galaxy S26 Ultra could look like. The frame is a little glossy, not quite as matte as what the series currently offers. It remains to be seen what Samsung truly does with the colors next year.

Looking to '26

We've had some renders for the Galaxy S26 Ultra leak before, though these were more about the possible design changes Samsung could implement. It's currently rumored that the S26 Ultra may adopt a more Galaxy Z Fold 7-style approach by adding that little island beneath its vertically lined cameras. This would, as you'd expect, give a bit of a camera bump, which the S25 Ultra lacks, aside from the camera protrusions.

Everything else, such as button placements, remains relatively the same in those leaks.

A more recent whispering from November claims that the S26 Ultra may change how users take selfies. The selfie camera itself isn't rumored to change (big surprise), but what is potentially changing is the size of the lens cutout. Rumors claim the size could increase to 4mm, meaning users could have a slightly wider FOV (field of view) for their selfies.