Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Release Date, Specs, Features and Price: Viral Leaks Show Design Imitates iPhone's Camera

The mobile industry is already buzzing with leaks and speculation regarding Samsung's next flagship series, the Samsung Galaxy S26. With the official unveiling expected early next year, rumours suggest the South Korean tech giant is poised to deliver a significant shake-up in design, performance, and artificial intelligence integration. Notably, the Plus model's future is uncertain, and the base model may be renamed in a bid to keep the line-up fresh and competitive.

The following is a comprehensive look at everything the rumour mill suggests for the Galaxy S26 series, covering its potential redesign, new chip, advanced AI features, and charging capabilities. As these are early leaks, consumers should 'take them with a grain of salt' and be aware that details could change.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Release Date

Samsung typically unveils its flagship Galaxy S series smartphones in its regular late-January to early-February window. Although no precise date has been leaked yet, this usual timeframe is expected for the S26 series.

Regarding the model line-up, there has been internal debate at Samsung over discontinuing the S26 Plus model due to 'poor sales.' However, work on the Plus variant has reportedly been resumed. Component industry insiders confirm that Samsung is developing four types of OLED panels for the S26 series, leaving uncertainty over whether the S26 Edge will replace the Plus.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Specs

The S26 series will arrive with several crucial hardware changes, including a new core processor and screen dimensions:

• Processor: The phones are expected to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Qualcomm's tests suggest the new chip will be 20% faster and 35% more power efficient than its predecessor. For certain markets, Samsung may continue to load the S26 with Exynos chips.
• Screen Size:Rumours point to a slightly larger display for the base model, which is expected to be rebranded as the S26 Pro. The display size is tipped to increase from 6.2 inches to 6.27 inches. Other phones are expected to retain their existing screen ratios:
  • Galaxy S26 Pro (base): 6.27 inches
  • Galaxy S26 Plus: 6.7 inches
  • Galaxy S26 Edge: 6.7 inches
  • Galaxy S26 Ultra: 6.9 inches
• Battery and Charging: The S26 Ultra may see an upgrade in battery capacity, from 5,000mAh to 5,400mAh. The wired charging speed on the S26 Ultra is also rumoured to jump from 45W to up to 60W.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Features

The S26 series is heavily rumoured to focus on an overhaul in design, camera technology, and artificial intelligence capabilities:

• Design: Renders suggest Samsung may be 'imitating Apple' by adopting new, rectangular camera bumps. The base S26 Pro will have a vertical bump with three cameras, while the S26 Edge will feature a huge, end-to-end horizontal bump with two cameras. Samsung may also adopt Apple's cosmic orange colour for the S26 Ultra.
• Wireless Charging: Samsung is reportedly planning to offer true Qi2 charging on the S26 series. Leaked images suggest the company is finally making room for magnetic rings at the back, allowing the phones to make full use of the wireless charging standard. Adopting the newer Qi2.2 standard could boost wireless charging speeds from 15W to 25W.
• AI Integration: While Google's Gemini AI currently features prominently on Galaxy devices, Samsung is reportedly in talks to integrate Perplexity into the S26 phones. This integration would include preloading the service and incorporating its search functionality directly into Samsung's Internet Browser.
• Cameras: The base Galaxy S26 is expected to keep its 50MP main camera. The S26 Ultra is expected to retain the 200MP primary camera but may feature a larger f/1.4 aperture.
• Software: The Galaxy S26 series will come with One UI 8 and Android 16 out of the box.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Prices

Since the expected release date is still some months away, nothing substantial has been reported about the pricing of the Galaxy S26 series. Pricing details are expected to trickle in closer to the late-January to early-February launch window.