Latest Galaxy S25 series sales total might make you question Samsung's Galaxy S26 Plus cancellation
Yes, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra are more successful than the S25 Plus, but is it really wise to restructure the Galaxy S26 family when Samsung's high-end phones are doing so well?
It's no longer a big secret that Samsung (probably) has no plans to release a direct sequel to the Galaxy S25 Plus, with the Galaxy S26 Edge instead being likely to join a "basic" and an "ultra" model as a "main" member of the company's 2026 high-end handset series.
But while some of you might consider that a logical decision on the heels of many reports of underwhelming Galaxy S Plus sales figures over the years, as well as Apple's expected replacement of a Plus variant with an ultra-thin Air in the iPhone 17 roster this fall, others are undoubtedly still questioning the utility of the S26 family's virtually guaranteed "reorganization."
If you're in the latter camp, the latest Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra numbers shared on social media by "PhoneArt" will only increase your doubts over Samsung's reasoning for next year's flagship restructuring effort, especially once you also take into consideration the global box-office performance of the S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra this time last year.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Is the Galaxy S25+ less popular than the "vanilla" S25 and the state-of-the-art Galaxy S25 Ultra? Absolutely. But is that 3.85 million unit sales total achieved by the end of June really that bad for the awkward middle child in Samsung's latest (non-foldable) flagship family? I don't think so, and the 7.5 percent increase over the 3.58 million Galaxy S24+ copies sold around the world through the end of June 2024 (largely) backs up my opinion.
That's some pretty solid growth across the board. | Image Credit -- @UniverseIce
Granted, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra are also showing solid progress compared to their own predecessors, and... that's kind of the point. The S25 series on the whole looks like a pretty massive hit to me, crossing a combined 20 million unit sales already a little over a month ago, so it's not clear how wise it is to make big changes at this time.
Remember, Samsung is rumored to add a Pro moniker to the "base" Galaxy S26 apart from replacing the S25 Plus with a super-slim S26 Edge packing a generously sized battery, so the tech giant may basically be looking to revise two of the three members of its winning high-end team from this year.
What should be the members of the Galaxy S26 family?
S26 - S26 Plus - S26 Ultra
26.98%
S26 - S26 Plus - S26 Ultra - S26 Edge
19.05%
S26 - S26 Edge - S26 Ultra
22.22%
S26 Pro - S26 Edge - S26 Ultra
11.11%
S26 - S26 Pro - S26 Edge - S26 Ultra
20.63%
That sounds like an unnecessarily risky move to me, but obviously, it could handsomely pay off if the Galaxy S26 Pro earns its name with clear upgrades over the Galaxy S25 and the S26 Edge vastly improves the S25 Edge's mediocre battery life.
Is the Galaxy S25 Edge a hit after all?
Compared to the Galaxy S25, S25 Ultra, and yes, the Galaxy S25 Plus, absolutely not. But for a decidedly experimental device released in limited numbers a little later than originally planned, 650,000 unit sales doesn't sound like... a horrible total.
That's within just a few weeks of the phone's limited commercial debut, mind you, and before that avalanche of killer US deals could start, so I really wouldn't be shocked if the tally grows to 1.5 million units (or even more) by the end of July.
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How could you not like the razor-thin Galaxy S25 Edge? | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
While fairly promising when you factor in all the handset's asterisks and obvious weaknesses, those figures still fall short of the Galaxy S25 Plus's results, so it remains to be seen if next year's Galaxy S26 Edge will be able to meet its (presumed) goal of surpassing the combined numbers of the S25 Edge and S25 Plus this year.
Interestingly, the year-on-year growth of the "basic" Galaxy S25 compared to the Galaxy S24 is so far beating the S25 Ultra's progress over the S24 Ultra, which feels like another reason why Samsung might want to think twice before "reorganizing" the Galaxy S26 roster.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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