Samsung’s next flagship family is looking both reshaped and restrained. A string of leaks over the past week suggests the Galaxy S26 line will be thinner and lighter than Apple’s iPhone 17 models, but it may not bring the memory and storage upgrades many Android buyers have been expecting. Reports also say Samsung reworked its original S26 plan after Apple’s iPhone 17 launch, trading one bold redesign for a safer, more familiar roadmap.

The headlines: lighter chassis, familiar memory

  • Leaks from prominent tipsters — including Ice Universe on X — show all three Galaxy S26 models trimming weight and thickness versus comparable iPhone 17 devices. The purported figures:
    • - Galaxy S26 (base): ~164 g, 6.9 mm thick vs iPhone 17 ~177 g, 7.95 mm - Galaxy S26 Plus: ~191 g, 7.3 mm vs iPhone 17 Plus ~204 g, 8.75 mm - Galaxy S26 Ultra: ~214 g, 7.9 mm vs iPhone 17 Pro Max ~231 g, 8.75 mm
  • Multiple insiders (reported by Android Police and SamMobile) say Samsung will largely keep the same RAM and storage tiers as the S25: the non‑Ultra models are expected in 12 GB RAM with 256/512 GB storage, while the S26 Ultra is said to come in 12 GB with 256/512 GB and a rarer 16 GB + 1 TB variant likely limited to China and select markets.

    • What changed behind the scenes

    Recent reporting indicates Samsung initially planned a more radical redesign for the smallest flagship: a slimmer 6.9 mm chassis paired with a much larger 4,900 mAh battery. But after Apple launched the iPhone 17 with a beefed‑up base model (120 Hz display, stronger feature set at the same price), Samsung reportedly reconsidered.

    According to accounts of internal planning leaks, the company pulled back from the pricier, sleeker concept to avoid pushing up the base price for the S26. The result: a return to a more conservative 7.2 mm thickness and a roughly 4,300 mAh battery for the base model in some reports — effectively a reversion to the familiar “base/plus/ultra” positioning Samsung has used for years.

    Why memory stayed the same (and what’s changing)

    Analysts and insiders point to two main reasons Samsung may skip a blanket RAM bump to 16 GB:

  • Component cost and supply: NAND and DRAM prices have been volatile as AI server demand pushes capacity and drives up spot prices. That can squeeze margins if manufacturers expand high‑capacity options globally.
  • Regional demand calculus: Samsung historically offers higher‑RAM or higher‑storage SKUs only in markets that demonstrate appetite for them. A 16 GB + 1 TB Ultra variant limited to China mirrors that pattern.

    • There is one bright technical note: though overall RAM totals may not rise, Samsung is reportedly moving to faster LPDDR5X memory at higher data rates. Faster modules can improve bandwidth‑sensitive tasks like image processing and some on‑device AI workloads even without increasing total RAM.

    How Apple’s iPhone 17 may have reshaped Samsung’s plans

    Several reports trace the design rethink directly to Apple’s iPhone 17 launch. By improving the base iPhone’s display and features while holding price steady, Apple arguably raised the bar for what counts as an acceptable “base” flagship. Those moves may have forced Samsung to choose between:

  • Shipping a slimmer, costlier Galaxy S26 that could command a higher price, or
  • Sticking with a more familiar S‑series script that focuses on price and positioning across the base/Plus/Ultra lineup.

    • Industry accounts suggest Samsung chose the latter, postponing or shelving riskier ideas such as the previously rumored S26 Edge and a renamed S26 “Pro.” That conservatism may also explain an apparent delay in Unpacked timing into late February, according to some timelines circulating in the rumor mill.

    What this means for buyers and the market

  • For consumers who prize thinness and in‑hand comfort, the leaked S26 dimensions look appealing. A lighter chassis can improve ergonomics.
  • Buyers who prioritize future‑proofing with more RAM or larger local storage may be disappointed if Samsung sticks to 12 GB as the baseline outside China.
  • Faster LPDDR5X memory and software advances could mitigate some concerns by improving performance per gigabyte, especially for camera processing and AI features.

    • Competitors already moving to 16 GB base RAM — including some recent premium Androids — will lean on that metric as a selling point. Meanwhile, Apple’s decision to elevate its base iPhone may continue to influence how Android vendors price and spec their flagships.

    Uncertainties and the bottom line

    All of the above comes from leaks, tipsters, and industry reporting rather than official Samsung announcements. Key questions remain open:

  • Will Samsung confirm these dimensions, battery sizes, and memory tiers at launch?
  • Will some markets receive higher‑memory S26 variants beyond China?
  • Could Samsung later introduce an S26 Edge or Pro variant after the initial launch cycle?

For now, the emerging narrative is clear: Samsung appears to be tempering bold design experiments in favor of a safer, price‑sensitive S26 lineup, even as it chases slimmer handsets and faster memory technology. That tradeoff — between a sleeker chassis and limited global memory upgrades — will shape buyer preferences and marketing messages when the Galaxy S26 family finally debuts.

Takeaway: Expect a lighter, sleeker S26 line on paper, but don’t count on a sweeping upgrade to 16 GB RAM worldwide. Samsung seems to be balancing design ambitions against price and market realities after the iPhone 17 reset expectations.

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