As the year draws to a close, the rumor mill for Samsung's next flagship is in full swing. Fresh leaks have provided our clearest look yet at the design and potential specifications of the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, suggesting a notable shift in aesthetics and incremental hardware updates aimed at refining the user experience.
A Return to a Structured Camera Design
The most significant visual change for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, as revealed in images and video from reliable leaker Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks), is the reintroduction of a dedicated camera island. This marks a departure from the design language of the last three Galaxy S generations, where individual camera lenses were placed directly onto the phone's back panel. The new pill-shaped bar gives the rear a more structured, albeit less minimalist, appearance. This design is shared with the standard Galaxy S26, creating a cohesive family look. The change is reportedly driven by internal hardware adjustments, including wider apertures for some lenses, which contribute to a more pronounced camera bump.
Key Design Changes vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra:
| Feature | Galaxy S25 Ultra (Previous Gen) | Galaxy S26 Ultra (Leaked) |
|---|---|---|
| Rear Camera Layout | Lenses mounted directly on back panel | Lenses housed in a raised, pill-shaped camera island |
| Corner Design | Sharper, more distinct corners | Rounded corners, similar to base S-model |
| Chassis | Slightly thicker and heavier | Reported to be taller, thinner, and lighter |
| Charging | 45W wired, 15W wireless | 60W wired, 25W wireless (rumored) |
A Softer, More Uniform Silhouette
In a move towards design harmony across the lineup, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is shown adopting significantly more rounded corners, bringing it in line with the aesthetic of the base S26 model. The device is also rumored to be slightly taller, thinner, and lighter than the outgoing Galaxy S25 Ultra, potentially improving in-hand feel. While the screen was off in the leaked visuals, the bezels appear to have been slimmed down further, potentially maximizing the display real estate. For the standard S26, the main upgrade is a larger 6.3-inch display, though it may result in a slightly thicker chassis overall.
Specifications Point to Focused Refinements
The leaks suggest that Samsung is pursuing a strategy of refinement over revolution with the S26 series' internals. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be powered exclusively by Qualcomm's next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. The base S26 and S26+ will likely use Samsung's in-house Exynos 2600 chip in certain markets. Battery capacity for the Ultra model is now suggested to be 5,000mAh, a figure that aligns with recent regulatory certifications. A major quality-of-life upgrade for the entire series appears to be support for faster charging, with rumors pointing to 60W wired and 25W wireless charging capabilities, finally closing the gap with key competitors.
Reported Galaxy S26 Ultra Specifications (Based on Leaks):
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (global exclusive for Ultra model)
- Display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, slimmer bezels
- Design: Rounded corners, dedicated pill-shaped camera island, thinner and lighter chassis
- Battery & Charging: 5,000mAh battery, 60W wired charging, 25W wireless charging
- Main Cameras:
- 200MP ISOCELL HP2 main (wider aperture)
- 50MP ultrawide (ISOCELL JN3 or Sony IMX564)
- 12MP 3x telephoto (S5K3LD)
- 50MP 5x periscope telephoto (IMX854, wider aperture)
- Selfie Camera: 12MP (IMX874), larger hole-punch for wider field of view
- Other Features: S Pen, USB-C port
Camera Hardware: Steady Sensors, Software-Led Improvements
On paper, the camera sensor array for the Galaxy S26 Ultra seems largely unchanged from its predecessor. It is expected to retain a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and dual telephoto cameras (a 3x and a 5x periscope). The key hardware tweaks are wider apertures for the main and 5x telephoto lenses to gather more light. However, Samsung seems to be betting big on computational photography and software. Leaked features include an Advanced Video Professional (AVP) codec for high-bitrate RAW video, support for professional TILTA wireless lens controllers, and enhanced processing through the Camera Assistant app to produce more natural-looking photos with less harsh detail.
The Upgrade Conundrum: AI as the Main Draw
The overarching narrative from these leaks is that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Ultra will be evolutionary, not revolutionary, upgrades. The core design, while tweaked, retains the same foundational aesthetics. The spec sheet shows improvements but no major leaps. This positions on-device AI features as the central new selling point that Samsung will use to court buyers. Without "game-changing" AI tools, as noted in one report, there may be few compelling reasons for owners of the recent Galaxy S25 series to upgrade, setting the stage for a launch where software intelligence must carry significant weight.