The Galaxy S26 unveiling will reveal exactly which application processor will power each model
Besides introducing the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the first Unpacked event for 2025 also unveiled the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, which was released in May. The presentation included a sneak peek at the Galaxy XR headset.
Early render of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Image credit-Smartprix
As usual, the question of which application processor (AP) will be powering which phone is at the top of the list of unknowns that should be answered at the Unpacked event. This year, despite having developed a capable Exynos 2500 AP built using Samsung Foundry's 3nm process node and equipped with Gate-All-Around transistors, the entire Galaxy S25 line had to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite AP. That was due to the low yield for 3nm chips achieved by Samsung Foundry.
With the low yield, Samsung wasn't sure whether it would have enough Exynos 2500 APs for the phones they were earmarked for such as the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ models shipped to South Korea, Europe, Asia and developing countries. Instead, Samsung reportedly coughed up $400 million to buy Snapdragon 8 Elite APs to power those units.
Rumored specs for the Galaxy S26 Ultra
The latest rumored specs have the Galaxy S26 Ultra carrying a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display that uses the AI-powered Flex Magic Pixel feature to control how light is emitted from the screen. The user will get to see the content if he is directly in front of the phone. But trying to view the content from the side becomes problematic preventing bystanders from spying on the screen. The 1440 x 3120 QHD+ resolution screen features an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a 498 PPI. The display wll have a variable 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate. The phone will feature 12GB of RAM and be available with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage.
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The device should come with a titanium frame and an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the screen. The rear camera system could include a 200 MP primary camera, a 50 MP Ultra-wide camera, a 12 MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 50 MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. There should be a 12 MP front-facing selfie snapper. The battery could get a hike to 5200mAh although some expect a 5000mAh cell for the seventh consecutive year. What does seem likely is an increase in fast charging to 60W from 45W. This would allow a battery to go from 0% to 80% in just 30 minutes. The phone will launch with Android 16 pre-installed and will receive seven major Android system updates.
Possible specs for the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+
The Galaxy S26 is expected to have a slightly bigger 6.3-inch display, up from the Galaxy S25's 6.2-inch screen. The 1080 x 2340 FHD+ resolution display has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 ratio, a 416 PPI, and a variable 1Hz-120 Hz refresh rate. The 12GB of RAM is expected with storage options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The rear cameras are believed to include a 50 MP primary, a 12 MP Ultrawide, and a 10 MP or 12MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The front-facing camera could weigh in at 12 MP.
The cameras on the Galaxy S26 series overall should offer improved low-light performance thanks to wider apertures and images will be improved by enhancements to AI and computational photography. The battery capacity might see an increase to 4300mAh.
The Galaxy S26+ will feature the same camera specs as the S26, carry a 6.7-inch QHD+ 1440 x 3120 resolution display with a variable 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate. It will also carry 12GB of RAM and offer models with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage. The battery capacity could remain static at 4900 mAh.
If the report from Yonhap is correct, Samsung could end up- releasing the Galaxy S26 line later than this year's release date of February 7th.
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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