22-05-2025
Samsung's base Galaxy S26 could get a crucial camera hardware upgrade
Whether it will be unveiled "on schedule" at the beginning of 2026 or earlier than usual to better compete against the iPhone 17 roster, Samsung's Galaxy S26 family is all but guaranteed to make dozens of headlines on our little website here between now and the end of 2025.
You probably already knew that if you've been following the mobile industry's camera advancements for more than five minutes, but if you were somehow still not aware, let me stress once again that it's not (necessarily) bad news that the "vanilla" Galaxy S26 is expected to retain the 50 megapixel count of the S25's main rear-facing snapper. That's because the imaging sensor itself is tipped to change, and while we don't have any details on the new sensor just yet, it's safe to assume that any change on this front will be for the best. Simply put, there's a very good chance now that the S26 will produce better photographs than the Galaxy S25, S24, and S23, which can only make Samsung's hardcore fans happy.
The Galaxy S25 and S24 come with the exact same primary rear-facing camera. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
The S25, S24, and S23, mind you, actually share the exact same Isocell GN3 camera sensor in common, so clearly, this S26 upgrade was a long time coming. The improved 50MP sensor is likely to join the same Samsung-made Isocell GN family, but the new name might not be as easy to guess as you think based on the company's branding history. As our Galaxy S25 review suggests, the GN3 camera performance is pretty solid, but of course, there's always room for improvement... and bridging the gap between a "base" Galaxy S series handset and Ultra models. Most definitely... if the S26 + exists. That's a big "if" right now, with multiple insiders anticipating a discontinuation of Samsung's non-Ultra Android giant. Instead of a Plus-branded variant, the Galaxy S26 family could include a super-slim Edge member in addition to "regular" and Ultra models. Of course, this plan could be tentative at the moment and its ultimate execution might depend on the mainstream success (or lack thereof) of the just-released Galaxy S25 Edge. If Samsung's first-of-a-kind ultra-thin flagship performs in line with internal expectations (not to mention better), a Galaxy S26 Plus may not make much sense after years and years of disappointing sales results for devices like the S25 Plus, S24 Plus, and S23 Plus.
The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus also share a 50MP Isocell GN3 sensor in common. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Both the Galaxy S26 Edge and S26 Ultra are obviously virtually guaranteed to pack better cameras than the Galaxy S26 , with a 200MP sensor likely to headline the rear-facing snapper systems of the two ultra-high-end 2026 smartphones. But if the S26 moves past the Isocell GN3 sensor of so many of its forerunners, the S26 Ultra and S26 Edge could well replace the 200-megapixel Isocell HP2 monster found on the back of the S25 Ultra, S25 Edge , S24 Ultra, and S23 Ultra with a new and even better sensor that's probably not official yet. In case you're wondering, no, I don't have any information on the rest of the S26 family's camera sensors, but naturally, there's plenty of time for everything to be revealed well before Samsung's first big Unpacked event of 2026... or its last one of 2025.
