The Galaxy S26 lineup is coming in less than a few months now, and rumors and leaks about Samsung's next hot flagships are pretty much everywhere.
Now, we don't know precisely which models the lineup will consist of this time, but one thing's for sure: there's going to be an Ultra and probably a base Galaxy S26 (which may be called S26 Pro). Then, we have a Plus variant or an Edge variant, or both. Let's see what we've heard so far.
Galaxy S26 Edge replacing a Galaxy S26 Plus
Rumor confidence: Medium to Low
There have been quite a lot of talk that Samsung may replace the Plus model with an Edge model. However, new rumors indicate that the South Korean giant may be changing its approach given the lower-than-expected sales of the Galaxy S25 Edge.
All in all, it's now becoming more and more possible that the Galaxy S26 Plus is returning to the lineup, while the Edge may either be completely abandoned or be an extra model.
Galaxy S26 becoming S26 Pro
Rumor confidence: Medium to High
The other rumored change to the lineup is that the base model may be branded Galaxy S26 Pro, instead of simply Galaxy S26. Rumors are less conflicting about this model than about the fate of the Plus model, and there haven't been a lot of contradictory reports about this from leakers.
The base model will likely just get a rebranding (if it does), though, while still remaining a base model. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only model that has a certain fate at this point: top-notch specs and the same name as usual.
For now, we've heard that the Galaxy S26 Ultra may be the only model sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, while the Pro and Edge (or Plus) may be powered by Samsung's 2nm Exynos 2600.
In previous years, the split was done by regions, with South Korea, the U.S., and China getting the Snapdragon chip, while Europe got the Exynos one. However, a regional split may not happen, and a by-model split may. But either way, it seems like there will be S26 models powered by Exynos and Snapdragon.
Gorgeous new display for the S26 Ultra
Rumor confidence: High
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to debut with the new M14 OLED panel. This new display is rumored to be brighter, last longer, and be more power efficient. That means that the already-excellent Galaxy S display will become even better. And not just in looks, it should also help battery life.
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60W charging speeds on the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Rumor confidence: Medium
Samsung has been behind some Chinese phone makers in terms of charging speeds, and rumor has it that this time around, things may change. The Galaxy S25 Ultra's maximum charging speed was capped at 45W, but rumors claim that the S26 Ultramay jump to 60W. We're talking wired charging.
Real Qi2 wireless charging
Rumor confidence: Medium
Reportedly, the Galaxy S26 series will support real Qi2 charging, and not just the "Qi2 Ready" option that needs a case to work. For now, it's not clear whether all models in the lineup will support it, but it seems that at least the Ultra is getting it, and potentially, the Edge.
The Edge may need it for its smaller battery (similarly to the iPhone Air and its MagSafe battery), while the Ultra is a bit more questionable. Some reports indicate that the S Pen may need to be ditched for Qi2, but most reports suggest the S Pen is staying. So there's that.
New design: slimmer, changed camera island
Rumor confidence: High
Image Credit - Smartprix
There have been quite a lot of renders circulating on the internet lately, showing a revamped design for the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Edge. For one, we have the base model getting a slimmer camera module with new lenses.
The Edge may become quite iPhone/Pixel-like with a stretched camera island, while the Ultra may get more rounded corners to better match the other phones in the lineup. That would help with ergonomics. Also, the S26 Ultra is said to be thinner, around 7.8mm.
The Ultra is expected to more closely resemble the standard S26 line with even more prominently rounded corners. This should definitely help improve the ergonomics from before. The phone is also expected to be a lot slimmer, dropping down to 7.8mm in thickness.
Camera upgrades: 200MP Sony sensor for the Ultra
Rumor confidence: High
It seems like we're not getting a completely revamped camera system on any of the S26 phones, but we may see a refreshed camera sensor on the S26, a new 50MP ultra-wide camera on the S26 Edge, and a new sensor for the S26 Ultra, which is said to be a 200 MP Sony-made one. Also, the Galaxy S26 Ultra may get a variable aperture.
New, rounder S Pen look
Rumor confidence: Medium to High
The S Pen has recently leaked with a slight redesign. Reportedly, the stylus may be rounder to match the rounder corners of the S26 Ultra. That would make sense if Samsung does indeed go for the rounded look on its 2026 flagships.
The reason why the confidence here is medium, and not high, though, is that the S26 Ultra's S Pen existence has been previously disputed. Now, newer rumors say the S Pen is going to be there, but earlier rumors have said that the S Pen may be ditched for Qi2.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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