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The launch of the hotly-anticipated Galaxy S26 lineup is just around the corner.
Samsung unveiled its Galaxy S25 range on January 22 last year, but its successor appears to be on a slightly delayed schedule. While speculation around the Galaxy S26 series has been steadily building for months, well-known tipsters suggest Android fans may have to wait for the official announcement of Samsung’s next flagship.
This information comes from popular tipsters like Ice Universe, who shared the details on X, formerly Twitter.
According to these sources, Samsung is expected to host a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, 2026 where it will unveil these new mobiles and their latest features. The company typically holds two Galaxy Unpacked events each year, showcasing new additions to the Galaxy ecosystem — from smartphones to wearables.
According to Korean media reports:
— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) January 1, 2026
Samsung has decided to keep the prices of the Galaxy S26 series and Galaxy Z Fold8 / Flip8 unchanged, with no price increase planned for July.
In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S26 series will be unveiled on February 25 in San Francisco, USA,…
If that's accurate and the announcement is delayed compared to last year, the availability of these new Galaxy S models could also be pushed back. Rumours suggest the Galaxy S26 lineup may not hit store shelves until mid-March, with March 11 being tipped as a possible launch date.
Adding to the anticipation, Samsung executive Daniel Araujo, who leads the company’s Mobile Experience Division, offered a glimpse of what’s to come during a third-quarter earnings call late last year. He said the Galaxy S26 lineup will “revolutionise the user experience” through a mix of next-generation AI features, improved performance, and enhanced camera capabilities.
As we continue to wait for the official big announcement, we've put together everything we know so far about which phones may be included in the lineup, key features to anticipate, and how much they could cost.
Galaxy S26: The expected lineup
Samsung's current Galaxy lineup includes the standard S25, the S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, the S25 Edge, and the more affordable S25 FE. It's possible that they may just release three models out of the full S26 lineup and the S26 FE later in the year, as we saw last year.
Earlier whispers alluded to the Plus not making the cut for the first three. However, poor sales for the S25 Edge could led to the cancellation of this model altogether, with claims that it may never return to the lineup again.
Galaxy S26: Display and design
It has been said that the S26 will have a 6.1-inch AMOLED screen, and the S26 Plus a larger 6.7-inch one. In one instance, it was even said that the S26 Plus could feature a 6.9-inch screen.
Popular tipster Sonny Dickson posted on X with leaked renders that show similar designs to the Apple iPhone 17.
Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy S26 dummies, Launching in February, and it looks like Samsung is going with a design very similar to the iPhone 17. pic.twitter.com/z581xHUxph
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) September 4, 2025
A leaked render by the team at Android Headlines suggests the Galaxy S26 Ultra has rounded corners and has undergone a refresh on the rear camera hub. For comparison, the current S25 Ultra, as well as the other S25 models, has three raised cameras in a vertical line down the top corner of the phone.
This recently leaked photo gives you a sneak peek at what to expect for the S26 Ultra, such as the updated camera bezel on the back of the phone
|Aside from the camera, other leaked screenshots suggest that you may be getting a new privacy screen built into the Ultra. In the settings of the phone, you may be able to adjust whether a private display is toggled on or off, depending on your preferences.
The next S26 Ultra will have a privacy feature that keeps people from peeking at your screen. pic.twitter.com/tFcgeFpCqG
— Ach (@achultra) October 2, 2025
Galaxy S26: New AI Features
The team is taking an advanced approach with their AI features. Mr Araujo explained that the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration won't just respond to commands.
It could be learning your habits and adapting to how you use the smartphone. This means your Galaxy S26 will understand your preferences and adjust its behaviour accordingly, creating what Samsung calls a "user-centric" experience. Samsung hasn't revealed every new AI feature yet, but these capabilities could be central to what sets the S26 series apart from its predecessors.
AI is also being integrated further into your photography. There will be an AI-powered image processing system that quickly recognises each scene and automatically applies the perfect settings.
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Galaxy S26: Camera Quality
The S26 and S26 Plus are expected to feature the same camera setup as their predecessors, which includes a 50MP wide lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens.
As for the S26 Ultra, rumours have suggested it will keep its 200MP primary camera but with a larger f/1.4 aperture. Tipster Ice Universe also said that the S26 Ultra will specifically feature a camera with a 24MP mode with no latency when pressing the shutter.
In addition to the upcoming AI features, Samsung also mentioned advanced computational photography features, suggesting you'll see improvements in areas like portrait mode and night photography.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra features 24MP mode with no latency when pressing the shutter. It only takes 3 seconds to process in the background. You can confidently perform continuous shooting.
— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) January 12, 2026
Galaxy S26: Updated Hardware
For the processor, you'll have different options depending on where you live. Samsung is reportedly breaking new ground with its Exynos 2600 chip, the company’s first processor built on 2nm technology, promising faster performance and greater energy efficiency.
This smaller manufacturing process means the chip can pack more power, while using less battery. That's because signals between components have shorter distances to travel. Given that modern smartphones execute trillions of operations every single second, these small efficiencies quickly add up.
However, if you're in certain regions, your Galaxy S26 will come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Samsung hasn't confirmed any final decisions about which regions will get which processor.
They're evaluating both options to ensure you get the most efficient and powerful experience possible.
Galaxy S26: Battery Life
In terms of battery, there was initially a slew of rumours that there would be a massive upgrade, but now it appears there may only be a modest update.
However, one noteworthy possibility includes the full implementation of Qi2 charging — wireless magnetic charging like Apple's MagSafe. So far, the Galaxy series has been known to only feature wireless charging without the built-in magnets.
Currently, whispers are suggesting that the new series will feature 20W wireless charging, which is slightly more power than the current 15W wireless charging systems of its predecessors.
As for wired charging speeds, there could be a significant upgrade to the S26 Ultra — moving up to 60W from its current 45W. If this proves to be true, you could have this premium mobile charged up to 75% capacity in as little as 30 minutes.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 was first unveiled on January 22, 2025
| SAMSUNG PRESS OFFICE | GB NEWSGalaxy S26: Price
Due to the rising cost of materials to build these handsets, there has been speculation that the cost will rise as a result. In South Korea specifically, a new report has confirmed that Samsung is considering an increase of 44,000 to 88,000 won.
However, other rumours are suggesting that there will be no price hike in the US and the UK in a potential strategy to boost global sales.
These are the current prices of the S25 lineup —
Stay tuned to GBN Tech for all the latest Samsung news.
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