Samsung Galaxy S26 series: Here’s everything we know so far | Technology News
The regular Galaxy S26 and the S26 Plus are not expected to change a lot compared to their predecessors. Most of the updates appear to be small refinements rather than big upgrades. One of the first things people may notice is a slight design change on the back. Instead of separate camera rings, the phones are likely to feature a camera island that groups all the lenses. Leaked images suggest this new look will be used across both models.
Battery improvements are also expected, though they are not dramatic. The Galaxy S26 could get a slightly bigger battery, moving up to around 4,300mAh. The Plus model, however, may keep the same battery size as before. Charging looks more promising, with faster wireless charging and proper Qi2 support, which should enable magnetic accessories. Wired charging on the base model may also see an upgrade.Internally, the phones are expected to feature two different processors, depending on the region. While some regions will receive the Exynos 2600, others will receive the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This is not uncommon for Samsung, and these two chips are expected to offer fast processing for various tasks, including gaming and AI capabilities. Finally, they will arrive with 12GB of RAM, which will certainly suffice.
The camera configuration for the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus is expected to remain more or less the same as their predecessors. Both handsets are expected to be equipped with a 50MP primary camera, an ultra-wide-angle lens, a 3x optical zoom telescopic lens, and a 12MP front-facing camera. There are rumours of a slight upgrade to the telephoto lens, which will enhance image quality. However, Samsung largely does not intend to improve its smartphone camera features significantly.
Storage options are also expected to stay familiar. The phones will likely start at 256GB and go up to 512GB. There’s a chance Samsung may drop the 128GB option altogether, which would match the trend of offering more storage as standard on premium phones.
Samsung’s displays are usually one of the strongest parts of its phones, and the Galaxy S26 series should be no different. The Galaxy S26 is expected to have a 6.1-inch AMOLED screen, while the S26 Plus should come with a larger 6.7-inch display. Both phones are expected to support a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, with bright colours and sharp visuals.
On the software side, the Galaxy S26 series is expected to launch with One UI 8.5, based on Android 16. Samsung is putting a lot of attention on artificial intelligence this year, and AI features are expected to play a bigger role than ever. There are even signs that Samsung may work with other AI companies and refresh Bixby to make it more useful.
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Pricing is still a bit unclear. While rising component costs could push prices higher, Samsung seems to be trying to keep prices close to last year’s levels, especially in major markets. Certain areas may experience a slight rise, but apparently, Samsung has had to make a few trade-offs to avoid raising prices significantly.
The anticipated briefing for the Galaxy S26 series is scheduled for February, likely in the middle of a week, as per Samsung’s conventional schedule.
