Samsung’s next flagship family, widely expected to arrive in early 2026, is shaping up to be an evolution rather than a revolution. Leaks and company comments over the past weeks paint a picture of an S26 series that refines the Galaxy Ultra’s ergonomics, keeps most camera hardware unchanged, doubles down on a mixed chipset strategy and promises the multi‑year software support Samsung introduced with recent flagships.
What’s new up front: design, S Pen and launch timing
The clearest design hint comes from a leaked third‑party screen protector that suggests the Galaxy S26 Ultra will return to noticeably rounder display corners — a visual callback to the Ultra models from 2020–2021 after three generations of boxier corners. Insiders say the display itself will remain flat, which Samsung appears to prefer for durability and S Pen performance, while softening corner radii for comfort. Early renders and case leaks also point to a familiar camera island on the rear and an S Pen slot positioned very close to the left edge; the pen’s clicker may be slightly curved to match the frame.
Samsung is expected to unveil the S26 lineup in the first quarter of 2026, with many observers placing an event in late February.
Cameras: mostly carryover, one notable sensor swap
Contrary to whispers of a wholesale camera overhaul, multiple leaks indicate Samsung will largely retain the S25 Ultra’s imaging hardware for the S26 Ultra. Reported rear camera configuration includes:
- 200MP Samsung HP2 main sensor
- 50MP Samsung JN3 ultrawide
- 50MP Sony IMX854 periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom
- A revamped 3x telephoto arrangement said to move from an effective 10MP output to a new 12MP Samsung S5K3LD sensor (reports suggest a crop to output resolution similar to prior generations)
- 12MP Sony IMX874 front camera for selfies
- If you value long software support and a stable feature set, the S26 family is likely to deliver: expect seven years of updates and regular security patches.
- Camera improvements appear modest. Current leaks indicate Samsung will keep its high‑resolution 200MP main sensor and other flagship elements, with only a limited telephoto sensor swap and a possible new video codec. If groundbreaking camera hardware is your primary motivation to upgrade, you may want to wait for full hands‑on reviews.
- Performance will depend on which chipset your regional model ships with. Qualcomm expects to power most units and emphasizes that supply will skew toward Snapdragon — an important consideration if third‑party benchmarks and platform‑specific optimizations matter to you.
- The return to rounder corners and a flat display suggests Samsung is balancing comfort with S Pen usability and durability.
One other leak suggests Samsung will include a new “APV” video codec option—details on what that will do for capture or editing workflows remain thin. Taken together, the camera notes point to incremental refinement rather than a headline‑grabbing camera leap.
The chipset story: Snapdragon majority, Exynos minority — and a close race
A central storyline for the S26 series is Samsung’s return to a split supply model: some units will ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and others with Samsung’s in‑house Exynos 2600. Qualcomm executives have said they expect to supply roughly 75% of chips for the new Galaxy line, leaving a reported 25% share for Exynos. That mirrors a new baseline Qualcomm claims in its dealings with Samsung after past years of varied sourcing.
But the numbers on paper don’t tell the whole story. Independently circulated benchmarking screenshots suggest the Exynos 2600 is a substantial step up from its predecessor and may even outpace Qualcomm’s earlier Snapdragon 8 Elite in some CPU tests. One alleged Geekbench result attributed to Exynos 2600 shows roughly 4,217 points single‑core and 13,482 multi‑core — figures that, if genuine, place Exynos within striking distance of contemporary competitors on raw CPU scores. Samsung has also touted improvements in thermal design and performance‑per‑watt — claims that, while promising, come from pre‑launch data and should be treated with caution.
Qualcomm’s public posture reflects confidence: after powering nearly all S25 units, the company expects to remain the dominant supplier for S26. For buyers, that means regional chipset variation is likely: some countries and carriers will receive Snapdragon models, others Exynos.
Software support and longevity
Samsung’s recent flagships set a new standard for long‑term updates, and the S26 series is expected to continue that trend. The phones should ship with One UI 8 based on Android 16 and, per the company’s recent practice, are likely to receive up to seven years of OS and security updates. That makes the S26 lineup an attractive option for buyers prioritizing long device lifecycles and security coverage.
What this means for buyers
Caveats: leaks versus official word
Nearly all the specifics above are drawn from leaks, benchmarking screenshots and industry commentary rather than formal confirmations from Samsung. Benchmarks can be faked or run under non‑standard conditions; supply forecasts reflect corporate expectations but not final production allocations; and third‑party accessories (like the screen protector image circulating online) can imperfectly represent a final device. Official details and hands‑on testing will be necessary to confirm performance, camera behavior and real‑world battery and thermal characteristics.
Bottom line
The Galaxy S26 series looks set to refine the formula Samsung established with recent flagships: a more comfortable Ultra with rounder corners, strong multi‑year software support, largely carried‑over flagship imaging hardware with modest tweaks, and a continuing — if contested — split between Snapdragon and Exynos silicon. For most buyers the S26 will be an evolutionary update; for enthusiasts, the chipset debate and the first full reviews will determine whether the new Exynos genuinely narrows the gap with Qualcomm.
Stay tuned for Samsung’s official unveiling in early 2026 and for independent benchmarks and camera tests that will clarify which S26 configuration is best for your needs.