Latest news with #S26
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's camera leak hints at slimmer module design
Samsung may be gearing up to shake things up with its next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra — and no, it's not just about megapixels this time. A new leak suggests the upcoming device could feature a reimagined camera module that finally trims down the bulky bump we've all grown used to. The latest report comes from The Elec, which claims Samsung Electro-Mechanics, the conglomerate's own components arm, is working on a new type of camera module aimed at making the Galaxy S26 series slimmer and more refined. The trick? A fresh approach to how camera optics are Galaxy S26 Ultra camera moduleTraditionally, smartphone camera modules use thin cover films between lenses to combat unwanted effects like ghosting and light flares. Samsung now reportedly plans to swap these out for an inkjet-printed anti-reflective layer. This innovation allows for a tighter optical stack, shrinking the overall size of the module without compromising image potentially big news for Ultra models like the S26, where the rear camera bump has been both a technical necessity and a design complaint. Thinning it down could lead to a noticeably sleeker device — not just in appearance but also in how it feels in-hand or sits flat on a table. Interestingly, Samsung filed a patent for this camera construction method back in 2018, and it now appears the concept is inching closer to production. This means the company could be about to deliver one of its most significant design improvements in years — all while preparing to upgrade its imaging Galaxy S26 Ultra camera specs leakadvertisementAnd what of those capabilities? Leaks have been somewhat contradictory. A report from March claimed that the Galaxy S26 Ultra might sport just three cameras: a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a second 200-megapixel sensor for 4x optical zoom. This would be a departure from the quad-lens system seen on recent Ultra a more recent leak argued that Samsung will keep the four-lens layout, just with better specs. These may include a 200-megapixel main sensor with variable aperture (ranging from f/1.4 to f/4.0), along with a trio of 50-megapixel shooters covering ultra-wide, telephoto, and periscope zoom the Galaxy S26 Ultra unlikely to debut before Q1 2026, there's still plenty of time for plans to change. But between the push for slimmer hardware and a continued focus on premium photography, Samsung appears poised to balance design elegance with imaging power. And if they finally solve the camera bump problem while they're at it? That's a win for pockets everywhere.
Tom's Guide
23-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy S26 camera rumored to stick at 50MP — but there could be a brand new sensor instead
It's going to be several months before the Samsung Galaxy S26 arrives, but we're already starting to hear rumors about what the phone could have to offer. A new leak claims that the phone will get an upgraded camera, but those of you hoping for any meaningful bump in resolution are going to be rather disappointed. According to a report from GalaxyClub, the entry-level Galaxy S26 will retain a 50MP main camera — the same resolution we've had since the Galaxy S22. But resolution doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, certainly not compared to the upgraded sensor apparently coming to the phone. The report claims that the S26 will finally ditch the ISOCELL S5KGN3 sensor in favor of a newer ISOCELL GN sensor. It's unclear which sensor may come to the phone, and it's speculated that it might even be one that hasn't been officially announced yet. While often ignored, the sensor can make a great many differences to the overall photo quality. A larger sensor captures more light, for example, which can boost low-light performance among other things. Presumably, we'll find out more after the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 this summer, as the rumor mill pivots towards next year's flagship release. One of the biggest upgrades we've heard about for the Galaxy S26 series comes from the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Word is that the phone will offer a 200MP telephoto lens, with 5x optical zoom. Meanwhile, the secondary telephoto shooter is said to be jumping to 50MP with 3.5x optical magnification. To top it off, the main camera may feature a ridiculous 324 megapixel resolution sensor. You thought 200MP was a lot? Well, this one is more than 50% bigger, and if you ask me, that might be rather excessive for a smartphone. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. There's also speculation that Samsung may scrap the Galaxy S26 Plus and release the skinny Galaxy S26 Edge in its place. Considering how close the S25 Plus's hardware is to the S25 Ultra, that would certainly help the third Galaxy phone stand out from its compatriots. Let's just hope that the rumors that Samsung is switching back to Exynos chips don't come to fruition. It's been rather nice having Snapdragon performance on the flagship around the world, rather than just the U.S.
Phone Arena
22-05-2025
- Phone Arena
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.
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
New Galaxy S26 rumor doubles down on the return of the Exynos chip
(Image credit: Future) A new rumor has seemingly confirmed that Samsung will bring back its Exynos chips for the Galaxy S26 series in select markets. The info comes from leaker Junkanlosreve, who posted on X that the Exynos 2600 chipset, made by Samsung's semiconductor arm, is 'indeed planned to be used in the S26.' 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. You may like The Galaxy S25 series was launched with the Snapdragon 8 Elite across the globe, and many hoped the same would be true with the Galaxy S26 series and the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. However, this news seemingly puts a damper on that hope, and Junkanlosreve goes on to state that 'Qualcomm's Snapdragon shows a 'clear' performance advantage over Exynos,' according to an industry source. (Image credit: Shutterstock) We first heard this same rumor back in March, again from Junkanlosreve, who again stated that the Galaxy S26 would be shipped with the Exynos, but due to limited chip volume, it will only be in the European market, similar to the Exynos 990 situation. This refers to when Samsung released the Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy Note 20 series in 2020 with the Exynos 990 outside of the US, Canada and China, with those markets getting phones with Snapdragon 865 and 865 Plus silicon. Since Samsung is in the fortunate position to both design and build its own chips, it makes sense that it would want to use them for its own phones where possible. But while an Exynos 2500 chip was rumored to be in development for the Galaxy S25 series, those phones ended up launching with the Snapdragon 8 Elite worldwide. As a result, Samsung Semiconductor's LSI is stated to have lost an estimated $400 million, according to Junkanlosreve. No doubt this is something Samsung will want to avoid repeating for future releases. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. While two-tiered Galaxy S26 performance might be disappointing to many, there are still a lot of upgrades Samsung could make to improve the appeal of the Galaxy S26. For instance, we've heard that Samsung could introduce silicon-carbon batteries to the S26, as we've seen in the OnePlus 13 and Honor Magic7 Pro. These batteries have a higher energy density than standard lithium-ion batteries, meaning they can hold more charge in the same physical space. It is worth taking this rumor with a pinch of salt, as Junkanlosreve has a bit of a mixed history when it comes to accurate leaks. Besides, there's still a long time to wait before Samsung will even announce the next series of its mainline Galaxy phones, which is likely to happen in early 2026. Instead, the company's main focus right now is likely the next Galaxy Unpacked, which is rumored for July, and is tipped to include the reveals of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip. More from Tom's Guide Today's best Samsung Galaxy S25 deals Deal ends Mon, May 12, 2025
