- Camera sensor upgrades are tipped for the Galaxy S26 series
- The S26 Ultra model may also have a larger battery inside
- We may see an even slimmer model replacing the Galaxy S25 Edge
We may be just a few months away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, and the leaks continue – with the latest rumor to reach our ears, one that concerns a telephoto camera upgrade across all four S26 models.
This comes from Alchemist Leaks (via Notebookcheck), and it actually covers all the key specs for the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra (this source previously supported whispers that the Galaxy S26 Edge has been canceled).
Most of the specs are what we expected, but the highlight is the inclusion of a 1/2.55-inch, 12MP telephoto camera sensor in all three phones. That’s significantly larger than the 1/3.52-inch, 10MP sensor in the current Samsung Galaxy S25 handsets.
While the 3x optical zoom wouldn’t change, in theory the resulting images would be noticeably better at capturing detail and reducing noise. A larger sensor means more light can be captured with each photo you take.
Upgraded batteries and new models
The same tipster suggests that the S26 Ultra model could get an even larger telephoto lens, but that this is “still unconfirmed”. There are also references to other “updated” camera sensors across the models, without any specifications on sensor size.
Samsung executives have said that improved cameras are coming with the new handsets. The slowness of upgrades in this department is something the Galaxy S series has been criticized for in the past.
Another interesting tidbit from this leak: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may get a 5,400mAh battery, up from the 5,000mAh on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, although this is a “last-minute change” that is “not guaranteed,” according to the tipster.
Finally, in addition to mentioning that the Galaxy S26 Edge has been canceled (consistent with previous reports), the tipster says there could be a “slimmer” model on the way to replace it – so we could be getting four flagship models after all.
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