Samsung Galaxy S26 series may launch in late February: What to expect

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S26 series later than usual, with reports suggesting the delay is linked to hardware changes in the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung is reportedly planning to launch the Galaxy S26 series in late February, instead of the January timeline suggested by earlier reports. According to a Forbes report, the delayed launch is largely connected to Samsung’s ongoing decisions around the specifications of its upcoming flagship model, the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

 

The report suggests that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will continue to lean on Samsung’s established camera strengths, while receiving a processor upgrade in the form of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Separately, a recent Android Central report claims that the Galaxy S26 series could introduce full satellite connectivity through Samsung’s new Exynos Modem 5410. In addition, Samsung is said to be working on a Perplexity-powered version of its Bixby assistant, which could debut alongside Google’s Gemini assistant in the Galaxy S26 lineup.

 

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: What to expect

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to remain largely in line with its predecessors across several key areas, particularly battery and camera hardware. The Forbes report indicates that Samsung will once again use a 5,000mAh battery, marking the seventh consecutive Galaxy Ultra model to feature the same capacity.

 

Charging, however, is expected to get a major bump. According to a 9To5Google report from December, Samsung is planning to offer first-party Galaxy S26 accessories to support Qi2 charging. Earlier in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the smartphone supported wireless charging at 15W, however, its successor is likely to see an increase to 25W. As for wired, the Ultra model is likely to support 60W.

 

Camera hardware is also expected to see minimal changes. Samsung is likely to retain the 200MP primary sensor, along with the 50MP ultra-wide and 5x telephoto sensors used in recent Ultra models. The only notable change is expected to be an upgrade to the smaller 3x telephoto camera, which could increase from 10MP to 12MP.

 

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be powered by a customised Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Samsung chipset. Samsung may also introduce its newer M14 OLED display, which is expected to deliver higher brightness and improved power efficiency. In terms of design, the device is said to move away from the familiar floating camera rings, adopting a pill-shaped camera module similar to designs seen on the Galaxy Fold series.

 

Memory and AI performance could be a mixed area for the S26 Ultra. Most variants are expected to ship with 12GB of RAM, while the top-end 1TB storage model could offer 16GB. While this configuration may be sufficient at launch, the report notes that it could limit long-term headroom as more AI processing shifts to on-device execution.

 

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Expected specifications

• Display: 6.9-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
• RAM: Up to 16GB
• Storage: Up to 1TB
• OS: One UI 8.5
• Rear camera: 200MP + 50MP ultra-wide lens + 50MP telephoto (5x optical zoom) + 12MP telephoto (3x optical zoom)
• Battery: 5,000mAh
• Charging: 60W wired, Qi2 wireless magnetic charging

Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus: What to expect

Samsung is expected to continue its dual-processor approach with the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, with select markets receiving models powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while others may be equipped with the in-house Exynos 2600 chipset.

 

The standard Galaxy S26 is likely to get a marginally larger 6.3-inch display, compared to the 6.2-inch screen on the Galaxy S25. The panel is expected to offer an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. On the camera front, the phone is likely to feature a 50MP primary sensor, supported by a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 12MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, along with a 12MP selfie camera. 

  The Galaxy S26 Plus is expected to mirror the same camera setup as the base model, but with a bigger 6.7-inch display offering QHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Battery sizes are also expected to differ, with the Galaxy S26 expected to pack a 4,300mAh battery, while the Galaxy S26 Plus could house a larger 4,900mAh cell.