All those familiar Galaxy S26 Pro and S26 Ultra camera specs are now practically etched in stone
If you've been disappointed by some of the latest rumors regarding Samsung's Galaxy S26 series cameras, the newest report on the matter is unlikely to do much to cheer you up.
Many of the key components needed to get Samsung's next big thing(s) done are just about ready to enter mass production, according to a fresh Korean media report translated here, which means that a lot of the recently rumored Galaxy S26 Pro, S26 Edge, and S26 Ultra characteristics have been finalized and are no longer subject to change or any last-minute surprises.
Why is the S26 Pro even called that way?
I don't know about you, but this question has been on my mind since the very first Galaxy S26 family rebranding rumor surfaced online, and although a typically reliable leaker did recently claim that the S26 Pro name won't mean anything, I kept holding on to my hopes that Samsung was preparing... something of note for the sequel to the "vanilla" Galaxy S25.
The S26 Pro will apparently keep the non-Pro S25's triple rear-facing camera setup virtually unchanged. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Unfortunately, those hopes are being shattered... again today, at least as far as camera specs are concerned. Based on whispers around the supply chain, it appears that the Galaxy S26 Pro will pack a triple rear-facing snapper system composed of a 50MP primary sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom while employing a single 12MP front-facing camera for selfie duties.
At least at first glance, that signals absolutely no change whatsoever from the non-Plus and non-Ultra Galaxy S25, and alas, the same goes for the Galaxy S26 Ultra when compared to its own predecessor. That's right, the S25 Ultra's 200 + 50 + 50 + 10MP quad rear-facing camera setup is expected to go unchanged on Samsung's next super-flagship, and predictably (and disappointingly) enough, the same will reportedly be true for the 12MP single selfie snapper on the face of both of these giants.
The only good news comes from the Galaxy S26 Edge, which is all but guaranteed now to replace the S25 Edge's 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens with a 50MP camera responsible for the same type of photography. That sounds like a solid upgrade, but since the S26 Edge is expected to supersede both the Edge and Plus-branded members of the S25 family, some of you may have hoped a telephoto sensor would be added to its rear-facing camera system.
Will you get a Galaxy S26 series phones if the camera specs are unchanged?
Absolutely not
49.82%
Probably not
21.33%
I will probably get the Galaxy S26 Edge
3.88%
Maybe... if some of the sensors are different
5.09%
Maybe... if the software optimizations are right
4.48%
Yes... if the rest of the specs are right
15.39%
Sadly, that's almost surely not going to happen now, with the S26 Edge instead being predicted to pair that aforementioned 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a main 200MP lens while obviously sticking with the same 12MP front-facing camera as its predecessors and siblings.
Don't lose all hope just yet!
If you've been following the mobile industry for more than a couple of days, you probably already know that megapixel counts are not everything. Real-world photography performance can also be improved in a number of other ways, including software optimizations (which are almost always a thing on new Galaxy flagships), and perhaps more importantly, new camera sensors.
I still believe the S26 Ultra will change something about its predecessor's camera system. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
While today's Korean media report doesn't go into those types of details, previous gossip has suggested that the Galaxy S26 Pro will replace the S25's primary 50MP Isocell GN3 sensor (while retaining its megapixel count), which might explain after all (at least in part) that branding revision.
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The name of the new sensor is far from etched in stone, mind you, and while a similar change was at one point rumored for the Galaxy S26 Ultra as well, that's now unlikely to happen. Still, it's clearly far too early to know for sure that probably the best Android phone of 2026 will come with no meaningful upgrades in the camera department over the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Should you be excited about the Galaxy S26 family?
Call me an incorrigible dreamer if you want, but I think so. You should probably be cautiously excited, though, especially if you don't particularly like the Galaxy S25, S25 Edge, and S25 Ultra for some reason.
Clearly, the three's sequels will feel extremely familiar in many ways, but there are still plenty of unanswered questions and relatively promising rumors floating around the interwebs to hope that you'll be able to pick a Galaxy S26-series device in a lineup.
If you think the phone on the right looks better than the one on the left, you'll probably love the S26 Ultra's design. | Image Credit -- PhoneArt on X"
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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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