Galaxy S26 release date has reportedly been delayed

Samsung's next flagship smartphones might not ship until much later than we're used to

(Credit: Kevin Lee / The Shortcut)

• 📱 Samsung has reportedly delayed the release of the Galaxy S26

• ⏳ The next flagship phones from the company might not arrive for several weeks after they were originally expected

• ❌ This could be due to a shift in release strategy sparked by the Galaxy S26 Edge cancellation

• 📅 Samsung is now rumored to introduce the Galaxy S26 family in late February or early March

If you’re waiting to upgrade your phone to a future Galaxy S26 device, you’re gonna have to wait a bit longer. Samsung has delayed the Galaxy S26 release date, according to reports from known leakers Ice Universe and WinFuture. The phones were originally expected to launch in January like recent Galaxy S devices, but instead, the S26 line has been postponed by several weeks, which pushes the date back to late February or even early March.

• More: Apple has three iPhone redesigns coming – here’s what the rumors say

It’s unclear what led to the Galaxy S26 release date delay. One working theory, though, has to do with the Galaxy S26 Edge.

The phone, a successor to this year’s Galaxy S25 Edge that even leaked in early renders, was reportedly cancelled by Samsung due to the S25 Edge’s unimpressive sales. The company is said to be replacing it with an ordinary Galaxy S26 Plus as a result.

The shift in release strategy and behind-the-scenes production could’ve easily led to this delay. After all, we heard numerous times that the S26 Edge would be replacing the S26 Plus entirely, and now, it seems the Plus will replace the Edge. We haven’t seen the supposed Galaxy S26 Plus in any leaks yet, so there could be a chance its design is still behind in development compared to the regular S26 and S26 Ultra.

It seems like Samsung has been dealing with a lot of development problems with the S26 family. Rumors suggested that the regular Galaxy S26 would be called “Galaxy S26 Pro,” but now, the name has reportedly been changed back to “Galaxy S26.” The company was also building a pretty sweet package for what would’ve been the S26 Edge, complete with a larger battery and better cameras.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to come with slightly better cameras and a familiar design, and rumors seem to suggest it hasn’t experience nearly as many headaches as the rest of the lineup.

With an extra month to go before we see the Galaxy S26 family, there’s a stronger chance that more shake-ups are on the way. Stay tuned.

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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.