The Galaxy S26 Plus' latest rumors got me asking: where's the Plus, exactly?

After diligently scrubbing the late January Galaxy S26 unveiling date off my digital calendar with a digital eraser, I look forward to February 25, when Samsung's best for 2026 is expected.

Although my taste in phones tends to drive me towards exotic phones more often than not, I can't cross out the Galaxy family just like that: the S lineup has been the weapon of choice for tens of millions all over the world.

Apple may have overtaken Samsung in 2025, but "the world's top smartphone company" title is fluxional. The iPhone truly is absurdly popular (even and especially among those who can't afford it, for some reason), but Sammy is beloved en masse: the company makes it all, from AC units to refrigerators and TVs.

Why does Samsung delay the Galaxy S26 family, then? There's a reason for that: it's called… the Galaxy S26 Edge.

The ultra-thin bijou was supposed to terminate the Plus model in the S26 lineup. Something like the T-1000 going after the T-800.

Lo and behold, not only that this won't happen (allegedly), but it's the Edge model that's to be canceled in favor of the Plus one.

But is it reasonable to spend your hard-earned $$$ on a T-800, pardon, on a Galaxy S26 Plus in 2026? Let's take a closer look.

Same battery capacity

Phones with 10,000 mAh batteries are no longer a fantasy (yeah, check it out, in case you've missed the last few months), but they're also not Samsung-made. And that's the harsh reality.

Moreover, it seems that those who fancy the S26 Plus will not enjoy a boost in the battery department. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus has shown up in TÜV certification listings, giving a clear look at its battery.

The listing reveals the S26 Plus, reportedly model number SM-S947U, will pack a 4,755 mAh battery, the same as its predecessor. Samsung will probably market it as 4,900 mAh, following the same trick they used with the S25 Plus.

Wired charging could remain at 45W, again mirroring last year's model. Wireless charging specs weren't listed, but leaks suggest the S26 series could finally get a boost to 25W Qi2 speeds, up from the current 15W. Overall, the battery numbers are more about continuity than any big leap forward.

Not to be bitter about it, but I don't see reasons to stick with a sub-5,000 mAh phone in 2026, unless you're mad about One UI.

If you're not into granular customization (yeah, One UI offers you that), but you happen to be a casual phone user, I'd suggest jumping into the 7,000 mAh+ territory. Having some extra battery juice really makes a difference.

A new display? Not so fast

The battery isn't the sole feature that's rumored to stagnate on the S26 Plus.

As reported, Samsung is gearing up for mass production of the Galaxy S26 series, and the latest supply-chain info confirms the S26 Plus isn't bringing anything flashy to the screen game.

The phone will keep the same 6.66-inch display as the S25 Plus, with the panel almost unchanged.

Samsung briefly toyed with a new OLED originally meant for the scrapped S26 Edge, but eventually, it played it safe and stuck with the tried-and-true S25 Plus design. Only minor tweaks, like cover glass and assembly bits, would set it apart from last year's model.

Thank God the Galaxy S25 Plus had a great display! That's no excuse for the lack of screen innovation in the new model, but let's hope it will at least get the privacy protection feature that's rumored for the S26 Ultra.

The good stuff

Do you want a large-screened Galaxy flagship minus the eye-watering $1,300 price of the Ultra model? Yeah, you got it right: the Galaxy S26 Plus is your best option if you're looking for a brand-new device.

It should stick to a familiar solid camera setup: a 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto with rumored 3X zoom HDR, and a 12MP front camera. Storage options look generous, topping out at a 1 TB variant, possibly. Power comes from either the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Samsung's new (and praised) Exynos 2600 paired with 12 GB of RAM, ensuring smooth performance across apps, games, and AI tasks.

If you're on a budget, and you don't mind getting a 2025 phone, the S25 Plus could be a great deal. Once the S26 Plus comes out, I expect S25 Plus prices to drop.

The Edge–Plus relationship explains the state of the S26 Plus

To better understand why the Galaxy S26 Plus doesn't seem like a revolutionary upgrade over the S25 Plus, we should take a look at its wasp-waisted paradox of a sibling, the edgy Edge model.

The ultra-thin Galaxy S26 Edge story itself is a mess: after getting several reports about it and how it was supposed to materialize in 2026, we learned that it was canceled. Then, it was "resurrected", then it was canceled once again. I expect the cycle to repeat at least once more in the months to come.

The doomed S26 Edge, though, damaged Samsung not only in terms of reputation but also wreaked real havoc in terms of Galaxy S26 release dates.

With the clock ticking and no time for a clean-sheet redesign, Samsung did what any cornered giant would do: it reused whatever was already signed off and ready to go.

That is how the S26 Plus ends up as a safe, familiar phone (at least in terms of rumors and leaks) instead of anything remotely daring. This was never about innovation, it was about damage control.