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Although Samsung has only just unveiled its latest flagship phones for 2025, rumors are already emerging about their successors.
January’s Galaxy Unpacked event brought the latest Galaxy S25 series, and it’s certainly one that all eyes will be on for some time to come.
However, for some it is not as exciting as they had hoped. If that’s you, your attention may have already shifted to next year’s Galaxy S26 series.
Here’s everything we know at the moment, including release date, price and specs.
When will the Samsung Galaxy S26 series be released?
If Samsung sticks to its typical release schedule, we can expect the Galaxy S26 series to launch sometime within 24 hours early 2026probably inside January or February.
This matches the release windows of previous S-series flagships:
- Samsung Galaxy S25 – January 2025
- Samsung Galaxy S25+ – January 2025
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – January 2025
- Samsung Galaxy S24 – January 2024
- Samsung Galaxy S24+ – January 2024
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – January 2024
- Samsung Galaxy S23 – February 2023
- Samsung Galaxy S23+ – February 2023
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – February 2023
- Samsung Galaxy S22 – February 2022
- Samsung Galaxy S22+ – February 2022
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – February 2022
As you can see, the new Galaxy devices typically debut at the beginning of the year, and we don’t expect this to be any different in 2026.
Luke Baker / Foundry
However, it is possible that Samsung will stop offering the standard Galaxy S model after the S25 series, leaving only the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra in 2026.
Since the new S25 Edge is not expected until April, the successor could arrive around the same time in 2026. While concrete details have yet to be revealed, this appears to be the Slim model that was heavily rumored before the launch of the Galaxy S25.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy S26 series cost?
Prices for the Galaxy S26 series remain purely speculative at this stage. However, prices will likely see a slight increase compared to the S25 series.
This is a common trend in the phone market, driven by factors such as rising component costs, persistent inflation, and the integration of increasingly advanced technologies.
Luke Baker / Foundry
However, there is also the possibility that the prices will remain the same. As a reminder, the Galaxy S25 series costs the same as the Galaxy S24 series:
Galaxy S25
- 128GB – £799/$799.99
- 256GB – £859/$859.99
Galaxy S25+
- 256GB – £999/$999.99
- 512GB – £1,099/$1,119.99
Galaxy S25Ultra
- 256GB – £1,249/$1,299.99
- 512GB – £1,349/$1,419.99
- 1TB – £1,549/$1,659.99
What specifications and features will the Samsung Galaxy S26 series have?
Despite being so far away from the expected launch, many rumors about the Galaxy S26 series have already emerged.
Design
Rumors suggest a possible shift in naming conventions. According to Yogesh Brar, the S26 Ultra could be renamed the S26 Note, which puts an emphasis on S Pen integration.
Likewise, the S26+ could be rebranded as S26 Pro, in line with the growing trend of ‘Pro’ models seen across phone brands.
Aside from possible name changes, there is currently no confirmed information on specific design elements such as materials (such as glass, metal, or a combination), color options, or general aesthetic choices.
It remains to be seen if a titanium construction will remain exclusive to the Ultra, or if a potential Edge model could adopt this as well.
Luke Baker / Foundry
Since Samsung has slightly changed the design of the Galaxy S25 series compared to the Galaxy S24 series, the successor will probably have the same appearance.
Display
According to The Elec, a key development could be the integration of Colour-filter-on-thin-film-encapsulation (CoE) technology into the S26 Ultra’s display.
This technology has the potential to make the screen thinner, brighter and more energy efficient.
Luke Baker / Foundry
However, details regarding screen size, resolution, refresh rate, and the addition of advanced features such as under-display cameras or fingerprint sensors remain unknown at this time.
Performance
According to leaker Jukanlosreve, Samsung could prioritize the use of its own Exynos processors in the S26 series.
This could see a significant increase in adoption of Exynos chips across the range, potentially relying heavily on the upcoming Exynos 2600 (assuming it overcomes all production challenges). However, it’s unclear whether this includes North America, which has exclusively used Snapdragon chipsets in recent years.
Luke Baker / Foundry
So it’s also likely that the Galaxy S26 series will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 in some capacity.
Information about specific processors, RAM configurations, and storage options is currently unavailable.
Cameras
According to Chinese digital chat station Digital Chat Station, the S26 Ultra may feature an advanced 200MP periscope telephoto camera, compared to 50MP on the S25 Ultra.
This would see Samsung joining a growing trend among Chinese phone makers who are increasingly integrating high-resolution periscope lenses into their flagship devices.
Luke Baker / Foundry
However, details about the camera systems for the entire S26 series, including sensor sizes, video recording capabilities and specific camera features such as advanced AI photography modes, are not yet known.
Battery and charging
Citing Weibo tipster Ice Universe, Jukanlosreve said on X/Twitter that silicon-carbon battery technology is a potential competitor for the S26 series.
This technology holds the promise of higher energy density, potentially leading to longer battery life and faster charging speeds.
Luke Baker / Foundry
Specific details on battery capacity, wired and wireless charging speeds, and advanced battery health management features are yet to be confirmed.
As a reminder, even the top-end Galaxy S25 Ultra is limited to a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging and 15W wireless.
Software
The S26 series is expected to launch with Android 16 as the operating system. Samsung is likely to equip it with a custom UI, which is expected to be known as One UI 8.
Specific software features, user interface improvements and the extent of security updates have yet to be announced, but you can expect even more new Galaxy AI features.
Luke Baker / Foundry
Samsung will also likely continue with its industry-leading seven-year promise of both OS and security updates for all Galaxy S26 phones.
This is everything we currently know about the Galaxy S26 series. We will update this article if we learn anything new.
Interested in one of Samsung’s current flagships? Pre-order the Galaxy S25 now from Samsung or discover the best S25 deals in our special article.