Samsung has three new flagships on the way for next year, but not all of them are seeing revolutionary changes. While the usual base model gains a new suffix and the typical ‘Plus’ model is getting replaced by a slimmer smartphone, it’s looking like the Galaxy S26 Ultra is an evolution on what came before.
The folks at Android Headlines, partnered with OnLeaks, published fresh renders of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, showing the smartphone off from practically every angle. The result is a device that looks practically unchanged from its predecessor, right down to its flat edges and curved corners. It’s not the photos deceiving you, either — according to the leaked dimensions included within this article, the S26 Ultra looks to be less than a millimeter taller and wider than the S25 Ultra, while its thickness gets shaved down from 8.2mm to 7.9mm.
At least, when you aren’t factoring in the camera bump. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra utilizes a new design for its lenses seemingly inspired by the protruding plateau first seen on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Previous rumors indicated a surprisingly bulky module, and the numbers shared within this leak back that up. While the S26 Ultra does manage to break that 8mm barrier when it comes to the main chassis, Samsung’s cameras now extend an additional 4.5mm from the device, for a grand total of 12.4mm.
This, unfortunately, despite the lack of big improvements to the actual lenses popping out from the phone. Android Headlines says the main shooter is a 1/1.3-inch 200MP f/1.4 — an improvement to aperture, but not much else. The 10MP 3x telephoto lens is even worse off, with Samsung allegedly turning to a smaller sensor than the one used in this year’s Galaxy S25 Ultra, while the 50MP ultra-wide and 5x periscope lenses seem to remain unchanged.
Assuming Samsung really is keeping its camera setup practically unchanged, that suggests a cosmetic change that is primarily about matching looks with another flagship in the company’s lineup, and not — as you might think — about making more space for improved sensors. With a few months to go until the company’s eventual Unpacked, we have plenty of time to hear more about what might make the Galaxy S26 Ultra stand out from the pack.
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