Most of you couldn’t care less if Samsung shook up the Galaxy S26 lineup

 

Earlier rumors suggested the “Pro” branding might have simply replaced the base model’s name, and Samsung potentially dropping the Plus variant and introducing another Edge model instead. But those plans, if they ever existed, clearly didn’t survive to the finish line.

Samsung appears to be playing it safe this year

As I mentioned above, personally, I fall into the “features over names” group. A new label doesn’t mean much without real improvements behind it. And judging by what we know so far, Samsung isn’t taking many risks with the Galaxy S26 series.

Externally, don’t expect a dramatic redesign. All three models, including the Ultra, are rumored to look very similar to the current Galaxy S25 series. The biggest visual tweak could be the introduction of a camera island on the back, but that is about it.

Internally, upgrades are more predictable. New chipsets are a given, but the regional split may return. In Europe and some other markets, the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus could ship with the Exynos 2600, while the US version is expected to get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, on the other hand, should stick exclusively with Qualcomm’s chip worldwide.

Speaking of the Ultra, as usual, it is shaping up to be the most interesting of the three. One of the more intriguing rumors points to a new privacy-focused display that can dynamically obscure on-screen content from people around you. The idea is that the pixels themselves adjust based on your environment, keeping sensitive info harder to read from the side.

There is also talk of advanced Galaxy AI features debuting on the S26 Ultra first, potentially remaining exclusive to that model, at least initially.

Another notable upgrade could be full Qi2 support. Unlike the Galaxy S25 series, which was Qi2-ready but lacked built-in magnets, the S26 Ultra is expected to include magnets directly in the phone. That would open the door to a wider range of magnetic accessories, including chargers, power banks, cases, car mounts, and stands.

Overall, all signs point to a Galaxy S26 lineup that focuses more on refinement than reinvention. Samsung seems comfortable sticking to a proven formula, especially with the Ultra model carrying most of the headline features.

If you want a deeper breakdown of rumored specs, design changes, and launch details, we’ve got dedicated coverage digging further into what the Galaxy S26 series could bring when it finally arrives: