Expecting a big camera upgrade from the costlier Galaxy S26 FE? Prepare for bitter disappointment!
Not only is Samsung's next Fan Edition phone rumored to keep its predecessor's megapixel counts unchanged, but the camera sensors themselves could also be the same old, same old.
Now that Samsung's latest foldables (and smartwatches) are out, it's time for the brand's hardcore fans to shift their attention towards the company's next big product announcement, which depending on your definition of "big" is either the ultra-premium Galaxy S27 family or the inexpensive Galaxy S26 FE solo powerhouse. Or maybe even the jumbo-sized Galaxy Tab S12 duo.
Curiously enough, it's recently started to feel like we know more about the distant S27, S27 Plus, S27 Ultra, and S27 Pro than the fast-approaching S26 FE, Tab S12 Plus, and Tab S12 Ultra, although that's finally changing. Between last week's rumored prices and a major new camera reveal, the Galaxy S26 Fan Edition is becoming less and less mysterious, and unfortunately, less and less exciting by the day.
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Will Samsung's next FE device bring anything new over last year's Galaxy S25 FE?
On the photography front, the answer to that question might just prove to be a resounding no, at least based on the inside information dug up by the almost always reliable and well-informed folks over at Android Authority.
The S26 FE's screen is also unlikely to look any different from the S25 FE's panel. | Image by PhoneArena
And we're not only talking about megapixel counts here, mind you, which don't always tell the full story of a product's real-world imaging skills, but the actual camera sensors as well. That's right, the Galaxy S26 FE is expected to use the exact same primary 50MP Samsung Isocell S5KGN3 lens with f/1.8 aperture, dual-pixel PDAF, and optical image stabilization as the handset's 2025 predecessor.
Will you buy the Galaxy S26 FE if these rumors prove accurate?
What's equally (or perhaps even more) disappointingly to hear is that the S25 FE's secondary 8MP OmniVision OV08A1 telephoto sensor is also likely to go unchanged on the S26 FE. Things are a little less clear in the tertiary rear camera and single front snapper departments, but there's a very good chance Samsung will use a 12MP GC12A2 sensor for the former and a 12MP Sony IMX825 for the latter... once again.
Will the Galaxy S26 FE be a sub-par cameraphone?
Absolutely not. After all, Samsung is one of the mobile industry's best camera hardware optimizers, often leveraging proprietary software magic to get the greatest real-life performance from their imaging sensors.
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The Galaxy S26 FE is expected to look VERY familiar. | Image by Wireless Power Consortium
That being said, our in-depth Galaxy S25 FE review last year found the quality of the telephoto and ultra-wide cameras to be just average (by high-end standards), and I seriously doubt that's going to radically change this time around with absolutely no hardware upgrades or tweaks.
How will Samsung justify the Galaxy S26 FE's price hikes?
That, my friends and dear readers, is the (multi) million-dollar question... I can't really find an answer for right now. With seemingly unchanged cameras, an only slightly faster Exynos 2500 processor compared to the Exynos 2400 inside the S25 FE, no base storage or memory upgrades whatsoever, and a very familiar design, you might expect the S26 FE's prices to go unchanged as well.
A costlier Galaxy S26 FE would have maybe made sense if it borrowed all of the S26's cameras. | Image by PhoneArena
But that's reportedly not the case, and while the entry-level configuration could still sell in fairly decent numbers at €799 in Europe and $699 in the US, charging €1,099 on the old continent and $1,049 stateside for a 512GB storage variant simply sounds preposterous.
Of course, those tags are not yet etched in stone, and technically, the same goes for the Galaxy S26 FE's camera specs and general appearance as well, but I don't expect many major surprises on any of those fronts in a few weeks, when the handset is tipped to go official.
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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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