Samsung Galaxy S26 series to debut in Jan 2026 with Qi2 charging: Report

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S26 series in January 2026, reverting to its usual flagship launch timeline. The Galaxy S26 series models may get Qi2 wireless magnetic charging

Samsung is reportedly planning to launch its next generation of flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S26 series, in January 2026. Earlier, it was reported that Samsung could delay the launch to late February; however, now the company is likely to stick to a similar launch schedule as this year. According to a report by 9to5Google, citing South Korean news publication Chosun Biz, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series will also likely encompass a similar lineup to its predecessor, with base, Plus, and Ultra models.

 

Samsung was earlier expected to rejig its upcoming flagship smartphone lineup by replacing the base variant with the Pro variant and the Plus variant with the Edge variant. However, now those plans seem to be discarded.

 

 

A separate report by 9to5Google also stated that the upcoming flagship smartphones could feature Qi2 wireless magnetic charging technology, similar to the Google Pixel 10 series. This could also lead to the smartphones being thicker than their predecessors.

Galaxy S26 series: What to expect

According to the report, Samsung Galaxy S26 series smartphones could get magnetic wireless charging, abiding by the Qi2 charging standard. This will essentially allow compatible wireless chargers and accessories to stick to the back of the smartphone for better alignment and more efficient wireless charging.

 

This, in turn, could make the smartphones thicker, as suggested by Android Headlines. The outlet reported that the Galaxy S26 might measure 7.24mm in thickness, while the Galaxy S26 Plus could be 7.35mm thick. For comparison, the Galaxy S25 measures 7.2mm, and the Plus model has a thickness of 7.3mm.

 

Besides the thickness of the devices, Samsung could also tweak the design of the smartphones. The report stated that both Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are likely to feature a camera island on which the lenses will sit. They appear to be similar to the camera island on the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Expected specifications

• Display: 6.9-inch Quad HD OLED, built on M14 display
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy or Exynos 2600
• RAM: Up to 16GB
• Storage: Up to 1TB
• OS: One UI 8
• Rear camera: 200MP (wider aperture) + 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, 12MP or 50MP with 3x optical zoom
• Battery: 5,400mAh
• Charging: 60W wired, Qi2 wireless magnetic charging

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Expected specifications

• Display: 6.7-inch, Quad HD OLED, built on M14 display
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy or Exynos 2600
• OS: One UI 8
• Rear camera: 50MP + 50MP ultra-wide + 12MP telephoto with 3x zoom
• Battery: 4,900mAh
• Charging: Wired, Qi2 wireless magnetic charging

Samsung Galaxy S26: Expected specifications

• Display: 6.3-inch, Quad HD OLED, built on M14 display
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy or Exynos 2600
• OS: One UI 8
• Rear camera: 50MP + 50MP ultra-wide + 12MP telephoto with 3x zoom
• Battery: 4,300mAh
• Charging: Wired, Qi2 wireless magnetic charging