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Tom's Guide
07-08-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: All the rumors so far
Now that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 are out the door, we can focus on Samsung's next big smartphone flagship: the Galaxy S26 series. Once again, the high-end member of the family is expected to be the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and while release day is some way off, we're beginning to piece together a picture of what this best phone contender could look like. Will it be worth the anticipated high price of entry? Here's everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra so far. Display 6.9 inches CPU Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 / Exynos 2600 RAM 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB Rear cameras 200MP main (f/1.4), 50MP ultrawide, 12MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto Front camera 12MP Battery 5,000 mAh Charging 65W In recent years, Samsung has been pretty consistent with the release date of its 'S' series phones. While the phones used to arrive in spring — as late as May 29, in the case of the Galaxy S3 — since 2019, the handsets have been released no later than March 6 with launch events held in January or February. It's been trending earlier too. The Samsung Galaxy S25 arrived on February 7, while the S24 launched on January 31. In other words, it's extremely likely that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will be on shelves by mid February, with an event around two weeks ahead of release day. The big question is whether Samsung will seek to increase the price in 2026. The Galaxy S25 Ultra started at $1,299, rising to $1,419 for 512GB storage or $1,659 for 1TB, which is the same set of MSRPs as its predecessor. The three Ultra handsets before that started at $1,199, so hopefully that's a good omen that things will stay static for another year. Another positive sign: it's been reported that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 set to power the new phones won't cost Samsung more than the Gen 1. If true, that's one less added expense that Samsung could pass on to the consumer. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Samsung's Galaxy Ultra phones haven't changed their design too much in recent years, and so far there's little evidence to suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra will look dramatically different either. However, there are a couple of small changes that could deliver some added style points. For starters, it sounds like the phone will be getting thinner. The reliable tipster Ice Universe believes that the phone will be between 7 and 8mm thick with a 'slightly increased width and height.' For reference, the S25 Ultra is 0.32-inches (8.1 mm) thick, meaning the change might barely be noticeable or quite a big difference, depending on where exactly it lands. Worryingly, for fans of the S Pen, this new thinness might be achieved by reducing the versatility of the stylus. In June, the leaker PandaFlashPro claimed that Samsung would be removing the S Pen digitizer, which is responsible for features like pressure sensitivity and hovering options, though he later claimed that Samsung were dissatisfied with test results, so hopefully that means it's safe for now. More dramatically, the Korean leaker Kro has tipped the Galaxy S26 Ultra to be the first non-folding Samsung phone to adopt an under-screen camera, ditching the hole-punch sized cutout that's sat at the top of the screen on the company's phones since 2019. Given Samsung retired the 4MP under-screen camera from its recent Galaxy Z Fold 7, that's probably one to take with a pinch of salt, however. In terms of the screen, we're still expecting a 6.9-inch AMOLED panel, though Ice Universe suggests it'll feature 'CoE depolarizer technology and third-generation anti-reflective glass.' The S25 Ultra has a sharp display that's perfect for watching videos, but the anti-reflective glass for the S26 Ultra could further mitigate reflections while watching content under brighter conditions or outdoors. This would be great, but it'll be interesting to see how Samsung improves its brightness. That's because in our own testing, the S25 Ultra reached a peak brightness of 1,860 nits — making it one of the brightest in a flagship, only exceeded by the Pixel 9 Pro XL and its 2,649-nit reach. Beyond that, it's hard to say what else Samsung could change or introduce around the display. Earlier in the year, Ice Universe suggested that Samsung might resurrect the variable rate aperture for the S26 Ultra. It would be the first time such a feature had appeared in a Samsung phone since the Galaxy S10 in 2018. Although, Samsung did add a virtual aperture control with the S25 Ultra. However, in August, Ice Universe claimed that the main camera will use an f/1.4 aperture, with the same 200MP main sensor as the previous generation. This, he later wrote, should see 47% more light entering the camera, which should be a decent boost to picture quality in low-light conditions, with reduced noise. Elsewhere, FlashPandaPro claims that Samsung is testing a 12MP sensor for the 3x telephoto snapper, upping the megapixel count from the 10MP lens found on the previous model. The leaker also mentions a new laser AF sensor for faster focusing speeds, as well as a next-gen ProVisual Engine to boost image processing. The 50MP ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses look set to remain the same, though the front-facing camera will reportedly inherit features like 4K 120fps slow-motion video recording. For the past few generations of the Ultra, Samsung has leaned on Qualcomm to power its flagships. However, there could be a change with the Galaxy S26 Ultra because it's rumored to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset and perhaps an in-house Exynos one for select markets. Early rumors point to Samsung going with the Exynos 2600 chipset in some markets, which came from known leaker Junkanlosreve. However, the leaker goes on to state that, 'due to reportedly low yield, it is likely to be equipped mainly in European models.' If accurate, this would be a return to a previous norm for Samsung, where it shipped flagship models with the Exynos chip in select countries, and Qualcomm-made Snapdragon silicon in others such as the U.S. Meaning, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra should be set to adopt the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chipset. Digital Chat Station believes that the CPU will run at 4.6GHz, with the GPU clocked at 1.2GHz — while leaked firmware for the S26 Ultra hints at the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip as well. This should be a solid improvement, with the leaker stating that the chipset records a score of 4 million on the AnTuTu benchmark. To put that into perspective, at the time of writing, the current fastest Android smartphone on the leaderboard hits 2,662,615 points. That might also be accompanied by a boost from 12GB RAM to 16GB. A graph from Macquarie Research suggests Samsung may be returning to 16GB RAM for the first time since the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Macquarie expects that the RAM capacity of the Galaxy S series will increase to 16GB in the iPhone's RAM is expected to rise to 12GB in 2025, but remain at 12GB in 2026 as well. 23, 2025 That would make sense given AI's growing memory requirements, and Samsung's pushing of Galaxy AI. And on that note, there's talk of Samsung integrating Perplexity into the company's Bing digital assistant. While nothing has yet been revealed about storage space, it seems safe to assume there won't be any advancement on the currently available configurations. That's either a 256GB, 512GB or 1TB capacity. Samsung's Galaxy Ultra phones have maintained a 5,000mAh battery capacity since the Galaxy S20 Ultra arrived in 2020. Earlier in the year, it seemed this would finally change with the news that Samsung was looking into adopting silicon-carbon batteries, capable of packing more capacity into the same space. However, it now seems likely that Samsung will instead be using this as an opportunity to reduce the battery's footprint without touching the capacity. Both Galaxy Club and Ice Universe claim that 5,000mAh is here to stay for another year. However, there is some good battery news for power users. Leaked code from One UI 8.5 suggests that charging speeds will jump to 60W — a 15W improvement on the 45W charging of the S25 Ultra. It would be hugely surprising if the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra weren't one of the best phones of 2026, but whether it will justify the price of an upgrade to current flagship owners is less clear cut. While it sounds like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 and additional RAM will offer unbeatable performance, other areas sound more incremental — especially on the photography side of things. But there's still a long time to go before the phone launches, and a few more interesting upgrades could turn this from one to watch to the most anticipated launch of 2026. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
India Today
06-07-2025
- India Today
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra full specs leaked
Samsung enthusiasts, brace yourselves -- a fresh batch of Galaxy S26 Ultra leaks has just landed, and while the changes may not be revolutionary, they're shaping up to be rather refined. The upcoming Ultra flagship, as tipped by reliable leaker PandaFlashPro on X (formerly Twitter), seems focused on polishing what's already great, with smarter design tweaks, enhanced internals, and a familiar yet better-than-ever user Galaxy S26 Ultra: LeaksDisplay: Let's begin with the display. Samsung is reportedly sticking with the same expansive 6.9-inch panel seen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but that's where the similarities end. The bezels? Even slimmer this time, which may give the phone an even more immersive edge-to-edge appearance. The screen-to-body ratio is expected to increase. There were internal experiments involving the removal of the S Pen in favour of a digitiser-free setup. However, the results didn't impress, and Samsung has wisely decided to retain the digitiser. And hence, the S Pen From a design standpoint, the Galaxy S26 Ultra won't be reinventing the wheel. Instead, Samsung is opting for subtle evolution over flashy overhaul. The overall shape and build appear mostly unchanged from the S25 Ultra, but there's one noticeable upgrade: the back is getting a cleaner, more seamless finish. Those divisive, protruding 'chip-like' camera rings, often compared to stuck-on buttons, are reportedly being ditched. In their place? A sleeker camera layout that feels more integrated and less And speaking of cameras, let's talk specs, because the S26 Ultra is set to pack quite a punch. At the helm is a mighty 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP2 primary sensor, now paired with a new lens to further elevate image clarity and low-light performance. Supporting this is a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens and an upgraded 50-megapixel periscope lens offering 5x optical zoom — ideal for capturing distant subjects in detail. Interestingly, the familiar 3x telephoto is also in for an upgrade, with Samsung testing a sharper 12-megapixel sensor, up from the 10-megapixel unit in the previous more, there's also a rumour of an all-new laser autofocus system, designed to deliver even snappier focusing, especially in low light. This, combined with the next-gen ProVisual Engine (Samsung's image processing wizardry) should translate to crisper, more accurate photos across the board. As for the selfie camera, the word is that it's being refreshed too, though details remain under wraps for Underneath the hood, performance upgrades abound. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to run on Qualcomm's brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip. Unlike in years past, this chipset will reportedly be used globally — no separate Exynos variant this time. Samsung had allegedly planned a 2nm chip of its own, but that's now been shelved, leaving the TSMC-manufactured 3nm processor in the spotlight. It may come with the now-traditional 'For Galaxy' overclock, offering extra oomph compared to standard ensure all that power doesn't turn the device into a hand warmer, Samsung is upping its thermal game. A larger vapour chamber cooling system, rumoured to be 1.2 times the size of the one in the S25 Ultra, will help keep temperatures under control. This could result in better sustained performance during gaming or intensive multitasking, and possibly even a bump in battery and storage: Lastly, Samsung isn't skimping on memory. All storage variants, including 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, will reportedly come loaded with a generous 16GB of RAM as standard. No more compromises on multitasking, even at the base while the Galaxy S26 Ultra may not be a complete redesign, it's clearly a carefully crafted upgrade. While the official announce is a few months away, till then stay tuned.- Ends
Tom's Guide
26-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could ditch the S Pen to make way for this new tech
As we move further away from the release of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, rumors about its successor, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, are starting to emerge more frequently. The latest comes from leaker PandaFlashPro on X, who suggests that Samsung may cut features from the S Pen to make space for new charging tech. "Currently, Samsung Now has New S-Pen Tech, and Samsung is Ready to use it in the Ultra," they wrote in their tweet. Specifically, they say that Samsung will remove the S-Pen Digitizer. Doing so would allegedly allow the company to add a Qi2 magnetic ring to the phone for charging and charging accessories. Additionally, as Samsung is on a never-ending quest to make the thinnest phones in the world, it would also allow the phone maker to reduce the thickness of the S26 Ultra. For comparison, the current S25 Ultra is Qi2 Ready, meaning it can use magnetic cases; however, unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it does not have magnetic rings inside the phone. If Samsung finally adds magnets to the phone, it would have a MagSafe-like feature, similar to Apple's. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In response to comments, PandaFlash indicated that Samsung would use similar tech for the S Pen that might be in the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Reportedly, Samsung has rebuilt the S Pen with new tech and a bigger form factor. The Z Fold 7 still won't have an internal holder for the S Pen and requires a special holding case. It's not clear from this rumor whether or not the S26 Ultra will lose its built-in S Pen holder. Though PandaFlash does say that we won't be seeing a return of the Bluetooth-capable S Pen. There are a number of varying rumors about the S Pen, with regular Samsung leaker Jukan Choi posting recently that Samsung might remove the S Pen entirely after the Galaxy S27 series. Assuming the S Pen rumors are true, we'll get our first look at it next month during the annual summer Galaxy Unpacked event, where Samsung's next foldables will be announced. After that, Samsung usually announces its main flagship S series line in January, which is when we're likely to see the S26 family next year.
Phone Arena
26-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Galaxy S26 Ultra may lose something big – and gain something magnetic
Samsung's next flagship model, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is now starting to show up more and more in leaks and rumors. Now, a new rumor from tipster @PandaFlashPro on X indicates Samsung may have a different S Pen tech for the Galaxy S26 Ultra . Apparently, if this rumor is correct, Samsung may remove the S Pen digitizer in order to start offering phones with Qi2 magnetic backs. Galaxy S Ultra phones have used an S Pen digitizer for years. Theoretically, if Samsung removes it, this would mean there's more space in the device for other modules. One of the reasons for this alleged removal could be the Qi2 compatibility. Right now, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is Qi2 Ready, which means it has the ability to use magnetic cases, but it doesn't have magnets in its body, unlike phones like the iPhone 15. If Samsung adopts the complete standard, this would make the Galaxy S26 Ultra feature magnets in its rear panel, just like MagSafe on Apple iPhones. PandaFlashPro's post on X. | Screenshot Credit – PhoneArena Another potential reason for the removal of the digitizer could be similar to what is rumored for Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7. Yep, thinness. If the company removes the S Pen digitizer, it can make the Galaxy S26 Ultra a thin phone. However, that would require much more than removing the digitizer. However, it's worth noting that removing the digitizer doesn't mean there won't be an S Pen. It's possible that the new S Pen for the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be similar to the new one rumored for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The foldable phone is expected to be announced in just a couple of weeks, on July 9, and maybe we'll learn more about the new S Pen (if these rumors are correct) then. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung's flagship for next year, expected sometime in early 2026. The phone may be accompanied by a Galaxy S26 Edge and may feature more RAM. It will battle the yet-unannounced iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max for the title of the best flagship phone. Meanwhile, there are rumors indicating Samsung may be making moves to get rid of the S Pen on the Ultra models entirely in the future. Although these are all still rumors and nothing is set in stone, I can't help but think it may not be a great idea, as most Samsung fans seem to like the S Pen and would want it to stay. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
23-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Galaxy Z Fold 7's S Pen story just got complicated
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 's official event is getting closer and closer. With the approaching timeframe, more details are leaking, completing a very-detailed-already picture of what we might expect that leaks started painting months ago. Now, a new rumor is giving us some slightly concerning information – reportedly, Samsung has run into production issues with an "unknown" S Pen. It's not clear whether this "unknown" S Pen is the one designed to work with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 . However, we've heard from rumors that Samsung may have had to remove the S Pen digitizer from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 , aiming for a slimmer device (which is the latest fad). So, in order for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to still support the stylus, Samsung would've needed to go the Apple route. This "unknown" S Pen may be the new one that Samsung is working on for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 . The rumor doesn't say specifically what production issues the company has run into though, but it indicates the company has stopped making the specific type of S Pen. The rumor comes from tipster @PandaFlashPro, who has a mixed track record when it comes to leaks. Nevertheless, if they are right, this could indicate that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may launch without an S Pen available for it right away, and users who'd like to take advantage of a stylus may have to wait for some time after the Fold's release for the new S Pen. The tipster's post on X. | Screenshot By – PhoneArena Why a new S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 ? Well, as we already mentioned, Samsung may have had (according to rumors) to remove the digitizer on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for slimming purposes. That would mean a new way of registering stylus input on the display would have been needed. So a new S Pen would also need to be produced. Samsung's Fold phones have supported the S Pen for a couple of years already. Unlike the Galaxy S Ultra models, the S Pen doesn't have a dedicated slot in the foldable phone and it doesn't ship in the phone's box. People wanting to use the S Pen with the Fold need to purchase the stylus separately, and if they want to carry it around with the phone all the time, they need a special case for it. Fortunately, though, Samsung's next Unpacked event is now getting closer than ever, likely to happen on July 9 in New York City, according to prominent and reputable leaker Evan Blass. So, as you can see, we don't have to wait for too long to find out the Galaxy Z Fold 7 's S Pen situation. So far, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has leaked almost entirely ahead of its official unveiling. Recently, a dummy hands-on video showed what could very well be the Galaxy Z Fold 7 next to its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 seems to be noticeably slimmer (just 9mm folded in comparison to 12mm on its predecessor) and looks way more modern, making the Fold 6 look, well, ancient. The phone also recently leaked in fresh renders and may ditch the under-display camera. Samsung's almighty flagship foldable may rock the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which is the chip currently in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will likely be introduced alongside its clamshell sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and a couple of new Galaxy Watch models: the Galaxy Watch 8 series. All in all, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may come with plenty of little improvements here and there, but nothing exceptional is expected this year, apart from maybe the thin design that Samsung itself teased. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will battle the Oppo Find N5, the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and others for the title of the best foldable phone . Meanwhile, Apple is yet to release its first foldable iPhone, rumored for the end of 2026. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
