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And just like that, the most unnecessary Galaxy S26 model has become my most anticipated 2026 phone

After hating on the Galaxy S25 Edge and initially being skeptical about the Galaxy S26 Edge as well, I'm officially incredibly excited for Samsung's rumored 2026 replacement for both the S25 Edge and S25 Plus.

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Jul 24, 2025, 1:14 PM

19comments

This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

To say that I've never been a big fan of the Galaxy S25 Edge would probably be the understatement of the year. After all, I went on record not only once but twice ahead of the official announcement of the ultra-thin Android powerhouse to voice not just my skepticism that the phone could ever become a commercial success, but my complete inability to understand... the existence of this device.

As it turns out, I may have been perfectly justified to doubt the S25 Edge's chances to achieve global box-office hit status, but at the same time, I'm starting to get what Samsung is doing here. No, I'm not saying I would ever consider buying a 6.7-inch smartphone with a gorgeous (and power-hungry) LTPO AMOLED 2X screen and an underwhelming (to say the least) 3,900mAh battery in tow, but next year's Galaxy S26 Edge might be an entirely different story.

Forget the S26 Ultra, this could be the real MVP of Samsung's 2026 high-end roster

Am I getting a little too excited after just one (fairly vague) rumor? Perhaps, but darn it, I need some hope in my life after so many disappointingly repetitive Galaxy S Ultra flagships, not to mention the latest speculation calling for an unchanged 5,000mAh battery and only slightly upgraded charging speeds on the S26 Ultra.

Confirmed:
The Galaxy S26 Edge will be thinner than the S25 Edge and have a larger battery thanks to new battery material technology.
— PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) July 23, 2025

Realistic or not, I need to believe that the S26 Edge will considerably improve the modest cell size of its predecessor while further slimming down that already drool-worthy 5.8mm waist. Technically, of course, the wording of @UniverseIce's X post from yesterday leaves the door open for slight upgrades to, say, 4,000mAh battery capacity and a 5.7mm profile, but if you'll allow me, I will continue to dream with my eyes open of a premium Samsung phone with at least a 4,500mAh juicer and 5.5mm or so thickness.

Is such a thing even possible in today's mobile industry? I strongly believe so, and the evidence comes from China (where else?). If the OnePlus 13T can pair a 6,260mAh silicon-carbon battery with a 6.32-inch screen while measuring 8.2mm in depth, I don't see why the Galaxy S26 Edge couldn't bring that latter number down to 5.5 or 5.6mm and the former to... 5,000mAh (or even more) when the display size is expected to sit at 6.66 inches.

Are you as excited as I am about the Galaxy S26 Edge?

Pretty much I'm even more excited Not even close I'm waiting to hear more before forming an opinion

Granted, there are still some risks and downsides associated with switching from traditional lithium-ion to silicon-carbon battery technology (which is a type of lithium-ion material too, mind you), but I feel like the Galaxy S Edge line could be the ideal home for such risks and experiments.

Should there still be a Galaxy S26 Plus model?

That, my friends, might be the million-dollar question Samsung needs to answer over the next few months and that I'm personally ambivalent about right now.

On one hand, we all know Galaxy S Plus devices have never been particularly popular for fairly obvious reasons, costing too much to replace their Ultra siblings for more cash-strapped buyers and cutting too many corners (especially compared to said Ultra models) to bid for the title of best Android phone.

Just imagine an even thinner device than this with flagship-grade battery life. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena

On the other hand, a Galaxy S26 Plus would probably free the S26 Edge from some of the pressure inevitably linked with the aforementioned risks of adopting groundbreaking new battery technology and potentially making the S25 Edge's design even more susceptible to both short and long-term destruction.

Of course, if Samsung does decide to only slot the Galaxy S26 Edge between the "vanilla" Galaxy S26 and the state-of-the-art S26 Ultra, thus essentially replacing two different devices with one Edge model, that's going to make me even more excited about this next super-slim flagship, suggesting great faith from its manufacturer in its box-office potential.

Now, I'm obviously not saying that the S26 Edge will outsell the S26 Ultra (or the compact Galaxy S26), but after a confusing fourth member of the S25 family that doesn't seem to be going anywhere in terms of global popularity, it could well mark the beginning of a beautiful, highly successful, risk-taking, and trend-setting handset (sub) family.

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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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