Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's rumored 60W charging might not offer much of an upgrade — here's what we know
In a recent post on Weibo (via Android Authority), IceUniverse claimed that charging the Galaxy S26 for half an hour will bring the battery level to between 75% and 80% from 0%. While this is by no means bad, it's not a massive improvement over the Galaxy S25 Ultra. When we tested the S25 Ultra's charging for our review, it reached 71% using a 45W wired Samsung charger after 30 minutes.
Galaxy S26 Ultra (IceUniverse claim)
Galaxy S25 Ultra (from TG testing)
Battery level after 30 minutes charging from 0%
75%-80% (rumored official)
90% (possible)
71% using 45W Samsung charger
However, as IceUniverse points out, the official data is usually quite conservative. He goes on to state in a follow-up comment that the 'actual' data indicates the phone could reach up to 90% after thirty minutes. This would be a marked improvement, but there's no clear indication whether these actual measurements come from tests on a prototype Galaxy S26 Ultra, or are purely theoretical.
Samsung has remained tight-lipped regarding the Galaxy S26, but several rumors have pointed to possible changes. For instance, we have heard that although the overall design might not change much, Samsung could introduce some camera improvements, including a 200MP zooming camera with 5x magnification and the possible return of variable apertures.
While the cameras might see improvements, we have also seen reports that Samsung plans to remove the digitizer layer on the screen to make room for a Qi2 magnetic ring. If accurate, this would mean that, like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the phone would not support S Pens. Nevertheless, Samsung is reportedly working on a new type of S Pen that can be sold separately and doesn't require a digitizer to work.
IceUniverse is a well-known source with a proven track record of Samsung leaks. But it's always wise to take predictions like these with a grain of salt. For now, we'll have to wait until we can test the phone ourselves.
An official release date for the Galaxy S26 series hasn't been announced yet. But going by previous launches, Samsung will likely reveal the Galaxy S26 Ultra at a Galaxy Unpacked event in January next year, with the phones launching about two weeks afterward.
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