Samsung’s next flagships have casually shown up where you’d least expect them: tucked into the company’s own One UI 8.5 software. An early build contains device renders and charging references that line up with the leaks we’ve seen so far — and they make the S26 family look like an iterative, yet tidy, evolution.
A quick sketch, not a surprise
The One UI 8.5 files name three devices by codename — M1, M2 and M3 — which correspond to the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra. The silhouettes are straightforward: the S26 and S26+ show a vertically stacked triple-camera island inside a rounded oval at the top-left, while the Ultra keeps the taller vertical trio plus two additional sensors beside the main housing. That matches earlier renders from trusted leakers and suggests Samsung isn’t reinventing the wheel design-wise this generation. The absence of an obvious “Edge” silhouette in the build also gives weight to recent suggestions that Samsung is steering away from that variant for now.
What the One UI files actually revealed
Beyond the pictures, the code drops a couple of interesting breadcrumbs: references to “Super Fast Wireless Charging” and “Super Fast Charging 3.0.” Those entries hint at faster wired and wireless charging modes baked into the S26 lineup — albeit without concrete wattage in the software text itself. Outside the build, separate product leaks claim Samsung will ship a first‑party Qi2 magnetic charger (reported model EP‑P2900) capable of up to 25W, while rumors peg the S26 Ultra’s wireless ceiling at 25W and the smaller S26/S26+ at lower wireless rates.
Wired charging chatter is louder elsewhere: tipped figures include 25W wired for the base S26, 45W for the S26+, and as much as 60W for the Ultra. Take those numbers with the usual pinch of salt, but they line up with the idea that Samsung wants to close the gap with rivals on charging speed.
Chips, curvature and continuity
Software and renders also reinforce earlier reports about Samsung’s chipset strategy: markets may still split between an Exynos variant (rumored Exynos 2600) and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The One UI imagery also supports a consistent curvature radius across models — a small detail that matters if you care about how a phone feels in the hand and whether cases sit flush.
Design-wise this is more refinement than revolution. That’s fine: an incremental approach keeps the brand language coherent while allowing Samsung to focus on internals like camera tuning, thermals and battery tech. For deeper reading on how the S26 family shapes up compared with the S25 generation, you can check the longer Galaxy S26 preview.
Why the Qi2 push matters
Samsung’s apparent push to full Qi2 support — magnets + higher-speed wireless — is notable. Qi2 compatibility opens up a broader accessory ecosystem: magnetic car mounts, power banks and stands that attach securely without separate cases or adapters. If Samsung accompanies the phones with its own 25W magnetic charger, the company would be signaling it wants to own more of the charging experience rather than leave it entirely to third parties.
A larger product picture
All of this arrives as Samsung prepares a busy early‑2026 launch window. The One UI leak adds momentum to what is already shaping up to be a crowded Unpacked season that includes foldables; Samsung’s Tri‑Fold prototype has been turning heads and could complicate the event calendar even further. If you haven’t been following Samsung’s foldable moves, the Tri‑Fold coverage adds useful context for how the company is juggling multiple hardware fronts right now: Tri-Fold prototype.
Small details, familiar silhouette
The biggest takeaway from the One UI 8.5 teardown isn’t a jaw‑dropping redesign. It’s confirmation — from Samsung’s own code — that the S26 trio will mostly refine what’s already familiar: a unified camera island language, possible parity in curvature, and stronger wireless charging ambitions. Those are the sorts of incremental shifts that rarely make headlines on their own but shape real user experience: charging speed, thermal handling, and how a phone sits in the palm.
Unpacked season is still ahead, and software teardowns like this one will keep feeding the rumor mill. For now, the quiet leak from Samsung’s own software makes the S26 family look like a patient, calculated step forward rather than a hurry to throw everything at the wall.