New Galaxy S26 Pro and S26 Edge rumor reveals potentially deal-breaking disadvantage to iPhone 17
Two of the three members of Samsung's 2026 ultra-high-end handset family are tipped to support lower charging speeds than the entire iPhone 17 roster, which sounds bad... and a little sketchy.
Far too focused on making the Galaxy S26 Ultra the absolute best Android phone money can buy in 2026, Samsung might be leaving the other two members of its next super-premium handset family without a key upgrade over this year's Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Edge that the S26 Pro and S26 Edge badly need to keep up with Apple's almost surprisingly advanced iPhone 17 lineup.
25W is not a very "Pro" number, Samsung!
In case you were wondering if the Galaxy S26 Pro would earn its pompous moniker with big improvements over the "regular" Galaxy S25, the inside information revealed by PhoneArt (aka @UniverseIce) on X right after the iPhone 17 roster's launch event suggests that's not going to happen, at least as far as charging technology is concerned.
The S26 Pro and S26 Edge could borrow one of the biggest flaws of the S25 and S25 Plus. | Image Credit -- Samsung
Yes, the S26 Pro and S26 Edge are disappointingly tipped to support up to 25W charging speeds, keeping that mediocre (by 2025 high-end standards) figure unchanged from the S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Edge, as well as the S24 and S24 Plus and a whole bunch of previous entries in the Galaxy S line.
Believe it or not, even the 2020-released Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus were capped at 25 watts, with the S10 and S10 Plus the year before only supporting 15W charging tech. That means that hardcore Samsung fans have been waiting for another upgrade in this department for about half a decade now, and according to the latest word around the street, the wait isn't going to end in early 2026.
Just how bad is that number, though?
Whether you're a Samsung lover or a hater, I'm going to give it to you straight - 25W is bad, at least from a public perception standpoint, and especially after this week's introduction of the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.
The OnePlus 13 is one of the fastest charging phones around right now. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
While Apple never explicitly advertises its products' charging speeds the way Android device manufacturers do, the official spec sheets of those three new iPhones include charging time estimates for use with 40W adapters "or higher." That suggests their charging support stands at or around 40 watts, which would represent a major enhancement over the "vanilla" iPhone 16's 20W top speed, for instance.
A comparison between the Galaxy S26 Pro and S26 Edge's newly rumored numbers and those of the OnePlus 13 or 13R, meanwhile, is obviously a lot easier to make. Those charging speed monsters support mind-blowing 100W and 80W technology respectively, mind you, while Google's Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL stand at 30 and 45W respectively.
Would you consider the S26 Pro or S26 Edge if they came with 25W charging?
Never in a million years
28.17%
It depends on all the other specs
43.66%
I actually think 25W is good enough
28.17%
Of course, these are all theoretical specs that need to be compared in actual real-life use to gain relevance, which is where our tests come in. In our comprehensive Galaxy S25 review, the 6.2-inch handset went from 0 to 54 percent battery capacity in half an hour while requiring an hour and 22 minutes for a full charge, with the OnePlus 13 going from 0 to 100 percent in just 43 minutes.
The 27W charging-capable iPhone 16 Pro Max, however, disappointed by needing no less than one hour and 42 minutes to get a full tank of gas, so you should probably wait for our iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max reviews before criticizing Samsung too harshly.
How reliable is the rumor?
Look, I'm not a professional social media leaker with any knowledge of Samsung's inner workings, but my experience as a PhoneArena writer has made me pretty competent at sniffing out phony "inside info." And let me tell you, this smells fake from a mile away.
The S25 FE already supports 45W charging, so why not the S26 Pro and S26 Edge as well? | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Not only would it make zero sense for Samsung to take the Galaxy S26 Ultra from 45 to 65W charging while leaving its brothers at 25W, but it would be virtually impossible for the company to defend that number after equipping the Galaxy S25 FE with 45W technology.
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Now, I have no idea if the Galaxy S26 Pro is meant to radically improve the "vanilla" Galaxy S25 (as the name suggests) rather than simply replace it, but I'm pretty sure the S26 Pro and S26 Edge will at least prove (heavily) superior to the S25 Fan Edition in pretty much every conceivable way. So, yeah, I'm skeptical (to say the least) that this particular piece of gossip will prove accurate.
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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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