Samsung Galaxy S26 release date expectations, price estimates and upgrades

For now, we haven't heard much about the two phones' cameras. Usually, the cameras of the two are identical, and rumors indicate this might be the case next year as well.

One curious (but frankly dubious) rumor about an under-display selfie camera for the S26 Ultra may mean this change would trickle down to the smaller siblings as well, as usually the trio has similar designs overall. But since this rumor is frankly shady, don't get your hopes up just yet.

The S26 predecessors, the S25 and S25 Plus, kept the same camera systems as their own predecessors but brought a plethora of software and image-processing upgrades. We got 10-bit HDR recording with more detail, improvements in low-light video quality, and pro-level editing tools like Audio Eraser.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25's Expert RAW added Virtual Aperture and a lot of new controls.

We anticipate the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus to use this as a solid base but hopefully also introduce some new things. Maybe the ultra-wide or telephoto lenses should be graced with some more megapixels, but for now, we don't have leaks to confirm or deny this possibility.

We don't have any renders leaked (probably these renders don't even exist just yet), so the design details of the Galaxy S26 and S26+ are shrouded in mystery for now. However, leakers are getting more prolific each year, so we can look forward to plenty of leaks in a few months to start painting the picture (or showing everything altogether).

Some early rumors hint at a design overhaul, but that talk is probably because this year we didn't see any big changes with the S25 design. I find it unlikely that Samsung will stray too much from what it's already established as the Galaxy design language.

Of course, we have the upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge to take into account, and the device is rumored to be super slim-chic. It's possible Samsung will take some of its design elements, maybe the slim part, and bring it to the Galaxy S26 and S26+. But maybe not, as this would have to come with some compromises, notably in the battery department.

Despite whether or not we see huge changes in how the S26 looks, you should be certain that it's going to feel premium and sturdy, and it will rock some fresh, gorgeous colors. I'm quite excited to see what these would be.

It's about time for Samsung to grace Galaxy fans with some more battery. Competitors from Chinese makers are betting on new battery tech, including silicon carbon batteries, to stick huge battery cells in their models without compromising on slimness or style (for example, the OnePlus 13, the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and others, and they'll become more in 2025)

Samsung is rumored to be working on its own take: stacked batteries, which would also allow for bigger batteries in the same physical space. However, it's important to know that rumors about Samsung's battery stacking have been going on for quite some time now, so we better keep our expectations in check. Nevertheless, it's about time, I'd say.

Another (even more exciting) rumor is that Samsung may introduce silicon-carbon batteries with the Galaxy S26 series. If true, it may facilitate noticeably bigger batteries on the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, like in the realms of 6,000 or even 7,000mAh. Hopefully, that rumor would pan out, don't you think?

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 comes with a 4,000mAh battery, which is somewhat small compared to some of the aforementioned battery champions. The bigger sibling, the Galaxy S25+, comes with a 4,900mAh battery cell. As for charging, the S25 supports 25W wired and 15W wireless, while the Plus has 45W wired and again 15W wireless. There are rumors we may see 65W charging for the lineup, which would be very-well appreciated.

The S25 battery specs are in need of upgrades for Samsung's flagships of 2026 to be able to compete with the others, so the rumors about faster charging and bigger batteries are welcome. The South Korea-based company should really work on new battery technology in order to not be left behind by some of the Chinese pioneers.