First Leaks of Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Make It Worth Waiting

Every year, Samsung sets the benchmark not only for Android phones but for the smartphone industry as a whole with its S series. And the Ultra variant of the line-up is considered one of the most sought-after Android flagship smartphones. This year too, people are looking forward to what’s in store with the near launch of the S26 line-up. Apart from the other upgrades, there is significant anticipation among enthusiasts about the phone’s look and design. Let’s see what the early leaks suggest and what changes there are compared with the S25 Ultra, which launched last year.

Leaks of Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The leaked design of the S26 Ultra has been circulating on various platforms since October last year, via CAD renders. Following that, many YouTubers made videos about the dummy units of the S26 line-up in late November last year. Actually, these dummies were imported from China. However, there is still no official release of the design from Samsung. Furthermore, OnLeaks has posted high-definition photos and videos of the dummies. This is important as @OnLeaks is considered one of the most accurate “leakers” in the tech world.

Upgrades in the New Design

There are noticeable changes in the design, according to the leaks:

• The first change you will notice is the unified camera island, just as we saw on the Z Fold 7. Samsung has changed the camera module design for the first time in the Ultra variant since the S22 Ultra.

• The corners appear much more rounded if we compare it to the S25 Ultra.

• One more major upgrade is the phone’s thickness, which is now lower than that of the earlier edition. It is now expected to be 7.9 mm, making it thinner than the S25 Ultra at 8.2 mm. This would make it feel less hefty. However, weighing in at 217 grams, the weight difference is negligible, as this would be 1 gram lighter than its predecessor.

• Other dimensions, such as the height and width, would be slightly increased. S26 Ultra is expected to be 163.6mm tall and 78.1mm wide, compared to the S25 Ultra’s 162.8mm tall and 77.6mm wide. The display size would be the same at 6.9 inches.

• Reportedly, the back of the S-Pen would be slightly asymmetric due to the increase in the roundedness of the corners. It is also expected that the S26 Ultra will be the last to feature the iconic S-Pen, as Samsung will remove it post that.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Launch Date

Samsung usually launches the S series line-up in January at the Galaxy Unpacked event. This time, it has been delayed due to chip development and finalisation of variants. There is no official update from Samsung yet. However, in his recent post, popular tipster Ice Universe reported that the Galaxy S26 series will most likely be launched on February 25th, 2026. Additionally, the Ultra variant is expected to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, developed specifically for Galaxy. The battery capacity will be the same as last year at 5000 mAh, with the charging speed being upgraded to 60W.

FAQs

Q. Will there be Bluetooth support in the S-Pen with S26 Ultra?

No, Bluetooth support is not expected to return in the S26 series, as it was dropped with the launch of the S25 Ultra.

Q. Why are the phone dummies out before the launch of the phone?

Dummies are created through leaked or stolen blueprints of the phone. They are helpful for third-party case manufacturers. This is because they want to produce the accessories before the launch, so they can sell them the same day the phone hits store shelves.

Wrapping Up

With the launch not far away, the latest leaks seem to indicate that they would match the actual device. It looks like Samsung has improved in some areas, such as the phone’s in-hand feel by making it thinner. There are also reports about the cameras getting a slight upgrade, so it would be interesting to see the results. With the new One UI 8.5 Beta 3 update, Samsung has also confirmed the privacy display feature, which will debut on the S26 Ultra. This would significantly reduce the screen visibility when viewed from the sides. It would require specific advanced OLED panels with Flex Magic Pixel technology.

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