Galaxy S26 series might copy Apple in a way you didn't expect

The Galaxy S26 lineup is currently all over recent headlines, and plenty of rumors are painting a rather intriguing picture of what we're going to see. 

We've heard recently that there may be a delayed launch, though, so Samsung fans may need to wait until March to get a model from the lineup. Now, a new rumor is disclosing a new connectivity chip for the S26 phones. 

Galaxy S26 phones may debut with an Exynos connectivity chip 

Following Apple's example of working towards hardware independence, it seems that Samsung is readying its own connectivity chip, at least according to this new leak. There's a new Exynos S6568 chipset that has been listed on the Bluetooth qualified products website. 


The listing doesn't reveal other details about the chip, but it's likely that the models from the Galaxy S26 lineup that will be powered by Samsung's Exynos 2600 processor will come with this Exynos Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip. Hopefully, we're going to see an improved range and better efficiency with this new chip. 

Galaxy S26 lineup: changes, delays, and upgrades

Samsung seems to have also changed its strategy at the last minute, and therefore, we may be getting a delay in the release of the phones. Now, the latest rumors claim a March announcement instead of a January one, all because Samsung reportedly decided to cancel the Galaxy S26 Edge and bring back the Galaxy S26 Plus instead of the super-slim phone. 

The vanilla model, which was also rumored previously to be changing its name to a 'Galaxy S26 Pro,' is now going back to being just a Galaxy S26. Reportedly, that is. 

As for upgrades, we expect a new design for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, potentially Qi2 magnetic wireless charging support, and many tweaks across the board to attract new customers. 

As for the Exynos Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that Samsung may include with the Galaxy S26, it makes sense that Samsung would want to design its own component and hopefully improve connectivity and reliability, as well as efficiency. 

Apple has also chosen to rely on its own chip-design powers for the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip in the iPhone 17 series, and the newest iPhones come with a first-party chip called the Apple N1. The custom chip is intended to improve performance, reliability, and power efficiency.

Will the upgrades in the Galaxy S26 series be enough?

Samsung seems to be planning the majority of its upgrades for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and that makes sense as we're talking about the king of the lineup. However, rumors and leaks are not giving us too many upgrades in store for now. Still, there are some that are getting me hyped, like 60W fast wired charging that may come to the phone.

The Galaxy S26 Edge is most likely canceled at this point, which is a bummer because I personally think that the Galaxy S25 Edge (and other slim phones, including the iPhone Air) look really gorgeous. I would've bought one of these slim-chic bad boys if battery life were better. 

Then we have the S26 Plus and the vanilla S26 models, and unfortunately, we haven't heard something wow-worthy yet in terms of upgrades here. Hopefully, Samsung will figure out how to get fans hooked on the new phones. 

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