Samsung Galaxy S26 rumors: price, release date, specs, and everything we know so far
Rounding up all the leaks and rumors we've been tracking about Samsung's next smartphones
đą Samsung is gearing up to introduce the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus
đ Both phones are expected to arrive later than usual
đ Rumors suggest minimal design and spec upgrades
đ¤ AI could be an even bigger factor for these phones
đ° The price may be increased by about $50
Samsung is taking it easy with the Galaxy S26. We started hearing rumors last year that the company would give its next round of Galaxy S devices a shake-up with new names and new market positions, but instead, Samsung has reportedly decided to stick to its guns and ship direct sequels to the Galaxy S25 lineup from last year.
That means weâre expecting three phones from the company at the beginning of 2026: the Galaxy S26, the Galaxy S26 Plus, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The two base models have leaked a few times over the past couple of months, and as we get closer to their eventual launch, we expect to learn much more about them and how Samsung sees the future of the Galaxy S lineup.
We got a lot of questions about the Galaxy S26 series during The Shortcut Live, so we wanted to make it easier to find all the information we know about the device in a single place. Below, weâre breaking down all the rumors weâve heard about the phones and what you can expect.
Galaxy S26 release date and price
đ Later than usual. The big story with the Galaxy S26 family is how late itâs arriving this year. Samsung went through some development headaches when working on the S26 series after it tried to revamp the trio of phones with new names and market positioning. After its experimental stage, the company reverted to its original formula and committed to producing the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra. Thanks to that, the S26 series got pushed back to around mid-March, according to rumors. We expect it to be unveiled in late February (perhaps on February 26), then launch sometime around March 11 worldwide.
đ° $50 more? Reports suggest that because of factors like RAM shortages and inflation, the Galaxy S26 may go up in price. Itâs expected to go up around $50 per storage tier, although it could be more. That being said, most smartphone companies have been able to hold off on increasing prices, so thereâs a chance Samsung could dodge the bullet and keep the same pricing as last year, which started at $799.99 for the regular S25 and $1,299.99 for the S25 Ultra.
Galaxy S26 design rumors
đ Seeing double. If you think youâve seen the Galaxy S26 before, thatâs because you have. The S26 is expected to look exactly the same as the Galaxy S25, down to the flat sides and curved corners. Samsung isnât shaking almost anything up with the design this year, which is a bit disappointing given how stale the look feels after being recycled for multiple generations.
đď¸ Camera island. One exterior change Samsung is expected to make involves the camera. Like the S26 Ultra, the S26 and S26 Plus will likely get bigger camera bumps with a two-tiered appearance, almost like theyâre sitting on an island. The sensors will still be vertically placed in the top left corner, so the phone will look identical to the S25 lineup, but the added detail will help the most eagle-eyed smartphone users identify an S26 a bit easier.
đŚ Standard water and dust resistance. Samsung is rumored to once again give the Galaxy S26 lineup an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. Some phones are starting to get IP69 certifications for protection against water jets, but unless youâre going to squirt your phone off with your garden hose, IP68 is fine.
Galaxy S26 camera rumors
đ¸ New 50MP sensors. Samsung might add a new 50MP main camera to the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus. While the S25 also had a 50MP camera, the new sensor would be bigger and let in more light. The same could come to the ultra-wide camera, which is also rumored to get a new 50MP sensor and ditch the aging 12MP camera that Samsungâs been using for a number of years. The telephoto camera will likely remain the same.
âď¸ Better processing and AI. Samsung always says itâs improved its post-processing algorithm with each new Galaxy S camera system, so we expect the company to do the same with the S26. We could also see some new AI features for editing or taking pictures, which seem to pop up with each new generation as well.
Galaxy S26 display and specs rumors
đ S26 gets bigger. The Galaxy S26 could get a slightly bigger screen than what was on the S25. By âslightly bigger,â I mean slightly bigger: it could go from 6.2 inches to 6.27 inches, which Samsung could wind up marketing as 6.3 inches. It isnât a ton more screen real estate, but itâll at least give you a bit more breathing room for watching movies or multitasking.
đą S26 Plus stays the same. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Plus will likely stay the same size as the S25 Plus, coming in at 6.7 inches. Any bigger than this and it would encroach on S26 Ultra territory, so it makes sense that Samsung isnât increasing its size.
đ Latest and greatest from Snapdragon. As is tradition, the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will use the latest flagship chip from Qualcomm. This time around, itâs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is rumored to get a special âfor Galaxyâ version thatâs optimized for Samsungâs devices. The processor impressed us when we tested it in the OnePlus 15, and we anticipate a similar feeling with these phones.
đ Bigger batteries? Weâre hearing conflicting rumors that the Galaxy S26 could get a bigger battery, going from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh. The S26 Plus battery will likely stay the same at 4,900mAh. Neither phone will likely switch to silicone-carbon batteries, which deliver capacities as big as 7,000mAh without increasing the physical size of the battery itself. Maybe the Galaxy S27 family will have it?
𧲠It might be Qi2 time. Weâve also heard that the Galaxy S26 series could finally bring Qi2 magnetic charging to Samsungâs phones. The feature, which combines fast 25W wireless charging and a magnet for connecting chargers and MagSafe accessories, has only appeared on one other Android phone: the Pixel 10. It would certainly be a welcome addition to Samsungâs smartphone lineup, if this rumor pans out.
âĄď¸ Faster wired charging. The Galaxy S26 will reportedly get faster wired charging, going from 25W to 45W, matching the S26 Plus. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will go even faster at 60W, but any speed increase is welcome.
đ¤ Samsung x Perplexity. Thereâs chatter that Samsung could give Bixby a big upgrade by integrating Perplexityâs AI models. This could enable a lot more intelligence-driven features to make using your phone feel smarter and more intuitive. It would work alongside Google Gemini and make using your phone feel more natural.
Galaxy S26 coverage continues
Weâre tracking Galaxy S26 Ultra rumors until it launches in March. Subscribe to The Shortcut so you donât miss out.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. Heâs 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.