Key Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra strengths have leaked—and it looks like Samsung is slacking
Key Galaxy S26 upgrades appear to be underwhelming.
Each of the three Samsung Galaxy S26 models will feature at least one unique upgrade over its predecessor, according to the South Korean publication Maeil Business Newspaper. The updates are modest, making them easier to overlook for the owners of recent flagship models.
Expanding on its recent report about a price freeze for the Galaxy S26 lineup, the Korean outlet says that Samsung wants to retain market share by maintaining the same price as last year. Apple is said to be following a similar strategy for the iPhone 17, as are various Chinese companies. Xiaomi, which raised prices of some of its products, is rolling out discounts after a backlash.
Today's report also sheds light on internal hardware. It notes that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the base and the Plus models will feature a mix of Qualcomm's chip and Samsung's own Exynos 2600.
Beyond general upgrades and previously rumored design changes, each variant is expected to come with a distinct upgrade. The standard Galaxy S26 will pack a bigger 4,300mAh battery, a notable step up over the Galaxy S25's 4,000mAh cell.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra will come with a privacy-focused security feature that will restrict display visibility to the primary user. SammyGuru was able to preview the feature, which has been added to One UI 8.5 but remains hidden from public view.
The display will look normal when viewed from the front, but it will dim significantly when viewed from an angle.
A Galaxy S26 with the same $799 starting price as last year for double the storage, a slightly larger screen, and a bigger battery sounds appealing.
The Galaxy S26 Plus's better telephoto camera will likely be its only differentiating factor over the Galaxy S25 Plus. It's also hard to believe that 3x zoom HDR will be exclusive to this particular model.
As for the Galaxy S26 Ultra's privacy display, it's unlikely to be a major selling point for most buyers.
If the Galaxy S26's bigger battery, S26 Plus's zoom feature, and S26 Ultra's screen tech are going to be the standout features this year, the lineup might come across as half-hearted. Of course, with the Galaxy S25 being an excellent lineup, even minimal updates might be enough, but only for those upgrading from older models. For owners of recent S series flagships, the Galaxy S26 will apparently not offer anything notable.
Something for everyone
Expanding on its recent report about a price freeze for the Galaxy S26 lineup, the Korean outlet says that Samsung wants to retain market share by maintaining the same price as last year. Apple is said to be following a similar strategy for the iPhone 17, as are various Chinese companies. Xiaomi, which raised prices of some of its products, is rolling out discounts after a backlash.
Beyond general upgrades and previously rumored design changes, each variant is expected to come with a distinct upgrade. The standard Galaxy S26 will pack a bigger 4,300mAh battery, a notable step up over the Galaxy S25's 4,000mAh cell.
The Galaxy S26 Plus will feature '3X zoom HDR shooting,' which will bolster the dynamic range of a zoomed-in image, resulting in clearer photos of distant objects.
Oh I ain't done, here's something even better.
— That Josh Guy (@thatjoshguy69) January 1, 2026
Privacy Display on Galaxy S26 Ultra! Here's how it looks and functions https://t.co/yfRqMRdEQF pic.twitter.com/xcs0pxoZCp
The Galaxy S26 Ultra will come with a privacy-focused security feature that will restrict display visibility to the primary user. SammyGuru was able to preview the feature, which has been added to One UI 8.5 but remains hidden from public view.
Are the core strengths exciting enough?
A Galaxy S26 with the same $799 starting price as last year for double the storage, a slightly larger screen, and a bigger battery sounds appealing.
The Galaxy S26 Plus's better telephoto camera will likely be its only differentiating factor over the Galaxy S25 Plus. It's also hard to believe that 3x zoom HDR will be exclusive to this particular model.
As for the Galaxy S26 Ultra's privacy display, it's unlikely to be a major selling point for most buyers.
A very iterative upgrade
If the Galaxy S26's bigger battery, S26 Plus's zoom feature, and S26 Ultra's screen tech are going to be the standout features this year, the lineup might come across as half-hearted. Of course, with the Galaxy S25 being an excellent lineup, even minimal updates might be enough, but only for those upgrading from older models. For owners of recent S series flagships, the Galaxy S26 will apparently not offer anything notable.
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