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The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a huge problem

The lack of a clear USP for the Galaxy S26 Ultra might impact demand.

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By Anam Hamid

Published: Feb 03, 2026, 11:53 PM

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Samsung Galaxy S Series

galaxy s26 ultra no strong selling point

Galaxy S26 Ultra dummy units. | Image Credit - Ice Universe

It's the Galaxy S26 Ultra's launch month, but no one quite knows how to feel about the phone. The device isn't expected to have a defining strength, and that may impact demand for it. Our survey has hinted at as much, signalling trouble for Samsung's marquee device.

What's this phone good at?

When asked what would make them buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the phone's rumored privacy display emerged as the most compelling reason, with 141 (27%) out of 517 votes. Unfortunately for Samsung, an almost equal number of responders (28%) indicated that the leaked features weren't sufficient to make them upgrade.

136 (26%) said they would buy the phone if the price remained the same. The new rear design and Qi2 charging got an equal number of votes (7%), while AI was the least popular reason with 28 (6%) votes.

Not a good sign

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's failure to offer a key reason to upgrade could make it easy to skip it. With the Galaxy S25 Ultra being an excellent phone, even minor improvements will make for a great sequel, but only for those coming from older generations.

While the privacy display feature, which is expected to make content invisible to people viewing the screen from the side, sounds good on paper, it's unlikely to be the killer feature that drives mass upgrades.

Perhaps Samsung would have been better off bringing back features it axed, such as 10x zoom and a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen?

What would make you buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra?

Over-reliance on AI

The Galaxy S26 series is expected to bring new AI experiences that will be integrated deeply into the hardware, but AI has so far failed to be the main driver of demand. The success of the iPhone 17 series, particularly in China, highlights the importance of core hardware features.

In addition to not equipping the Galaxy S26 Ultra with a bigger battery or new camera sensors, the native Qi2 support that 7% of voters were looking forward to has been scrapped.

A new phone doesn't necessarily need a dramatic design change and an overhauled spec sheet to be compelling. What it does need, though, is a strong selling point, which the Galaxy S26 Ultra seems to lack.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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