Galaxy S26 Ultra might be the first Ultra in years that will demand your attention

Samsung, much like Apple in recent memory, has started taking bolder and bolder moves to make its flagship smartphones different each year. From the Galaxy S25 Ultra and its new shape, the excellent Galaxy Z Fold 7, the controversial Galaxy S25 Edge, and now the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung fans are eating good.

The Ultra phones have, for many years, been the phone you get if you just want the best of the best, or if you absolutely wanted the top-of-the-line camera. There was little else, beside the S Pen, that set the Ultra models apart from the base and Plus models. Recently, we got the superb anti-glare screen coating too, but that was about it.

Samsung is, according to many reports, changing that next year with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, making it the first Ultra model in years that will demand your attention.

First, let’s talk basics

For starters, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is seeing the expected improvements that have been differentiating the Ultra models from the others for generations. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will be seeing an upgrade to the camera with a wider aperture.

With this upgrade, low-light photography will look a lot better on the S26 Ultra, compared to other Galaxy phones. Meanwhile, the selfie camera is also apparently seeing a change, and will be getting a wider field of view for selfies taken with two or more people.

The phone is also seeing another change in its shape: adopting even rounder edges than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which ditched the sharp, boxy look that I loved. This will, naturally, provide a more comfortable grip, at the cost of looking a bit similar to the iPhone 17. Speaking of which, the rear camera island is making a return to accommodate the wider aperture.

Now, on to the good stuff

Samsung’s Ultra models have been using a 5,000 mAh battery for so many years that a lot of us began to think that we would never get to see any improvement in this aspect. That, allegedly, is also finally changing.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a bigger battery, though not by much. Instead of 5,000 mAh, the battery on the Galaxy S26 Ultra will reportedly have a capacity of 5,200 mAh instead. Yes, that’s hardly an upgrade, but it’s still a major step in the right direction.

That isn’t the only battery-related upgrade coming to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, however. Charging speeds on the S26 Ultra are also finally seeing an upgrade. Wired charging speeds are going up to 60W, and wireless charging speeds are going up to 25W. Compared to the previous 45W and 15W respectively, this is also a very welcome and noteworthy upgrade.

And we’re not done just yet.

Galaxy S26 Ultra will have exclusive goodies

This is why I think that the S26 Ultra will demand your attention next year, instead of just being a slightly better and more expensive flagship phone. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature a number of exclusive new features that will help set it apart from not just the other Galaxy S26 models, but all modern smartphones in general.

For example, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will have exclusive AI features that will not be present on the other S26 models. If you care about AI features on your phone — though, admittedly, not many people do just yet — then the S26 Ultra is definitely the phone for you.

But, let’s say that you don’t care about AI on the S26 Ultra, what other exclusive features will it offer you? Aside from the charging speeds, anti-glare coating, S Pen, wider aperture, and bigger field of view for the selfie camera, Samsung is bringing an entirely new upgrade to the S26 Ultra: a privacy display.

Powered by AI, the phone will be able to automatically hide the contents of the screen from people trying to sneak a peek. The display will allow said contents to still be visible to the user, but not anyone around them. You’ll also be able to configure when this feature should kick in: for example, if an app with sensitive information is on the screen.

In my opinion, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will finally, after many years, be an Ultra model that will demand your attention. It will give many consumers a reason, or multiple reasons, to spend a little extra next year.