The Android space sees the launch of several high-profile flagships every year. But Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S phones always stand out for being the most complete package.
If all the leaks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are correct, Samsung’s 2026 flagship could double down on polish and practicality to deliver an experience other Android phones cannot match.
That’s exactly why I’m all excited about the Galaxy S26 Ultra for next year — even though it might not pack all the hardware upgrades I wish it did.
A screen that will keep prying eyes away
More privacy, less peeking
Super-bright OLED screens have become common in premium and flagship smartphones now. Samsung typically reserved the best OLED panels for its flagship Galaxy S phones before, but that’s no longer the case.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 6.8-inch screen can hit a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. While impressive, that’s lower than the 3,000 nits the Google Pixel 10 and iPhone 17 Pro can hit.
But Samsung’s recent flagship phones have another ace up their sleeve: an anti-reflective cover glass. The Galaxy S24 Ultra debuted with this glass almost two years ago, and you still can’t find it on any other Android phone.
With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung aims to double down on both its display advantages. Rumors indicate the Galaxy S26 Ultra will use a newer M14 OLED panel. It will be significantly more power-efficient while also being capable of reaching higher brightness levels.
That’s not it, though. The S26 Ultra will supposedly use a new Flex Magic Pixel technology to power its new ‘Privacy display’ feature. It will automatically limit the screen’s visibility from side angles to protect your privacy in public or when using sensitive apps.
Strings from leaked One UI 8.5 firmware indicate that you can even customize the feature by selecting the conditions and apps for which you want to use Private display.
Think of the feature like using a privacy screen guard on your phone’s display, except that it automatically adjusts the viewing angles based on the content being displayed.
Minor camera upgrades that matter
Small changes for better shots
Samsung’s recent flagships look great on paper, but the cameras have consistently failed to live up to the hype. While the quad rear cameras provide a lot of flexibility, that alone does not make up for their average image quality.
While not radical, rumors point to Samsung finally making some noticeable camera hardware upgrades to the Galaxy S26 Ultra next year.
While the 200MP primary HP2 camera will supposedly remain unchanged, it will be paired with a brighter f/1.4 lens. This should significantly boost the amount of light that can hit the sensor, leading to a noticeable jump in image quality, especially in low-light and challenging situations.
Beyond the primary camera, Samsung will apparently switch to a higher resolution 12MP 3x optical shooter. Plus, the 5x telephoto camera may get a wider aperture lens, too. Like with the main cameras, these upgrades should lead to sharper, brighter, and more detailed images in low-light conditions.
All these upgrades might not be enough for the Galaxy S26 Ultra to catch up with Chinese Ultra flagships. However, it should still lead to a respectable improvement in image quality, something which Samsung’s next flagship phone desperately needs.
Plus, Samsung might make up for the lack of radical camera hardware upgrades with new pro-level software features. Taking a cue from the iPhone, the phone will seemingly sport pro-grade video features, with support for APV codec.
While most users won’t take advantage of it, creators and professionals who use their Galaxy phones for video work will benefit from this addition, enjoying far more flexibility in post-production.
One UI 8.5
Building on what One UI 7 started
Samsung radically overhauled its Android skin with the Android 15-based One UI 7. The new UI looks a lot sleeker, with the smoother, more refined animations giving the entire experience a polished, modern feel.
In comparison, Android 16-based One UI 8 felt like a relatively minor update. It updated some aspects of Samsung’s Android skin, but left almost everything else largely untouched.
Leaked One UI 8.5 firmware suggests that it will be a far bigger deal than One UI 8, even though it is still based on Android 16.
Samsung will apparently once again introduce some major UI changes, giving its system apps the polish they need. Lock screen customization will get some big upgrades, too, with the adaptive clock getting enhanced object detection.
The skin will purportedly debut new Galaxy AI features as well, such as Meeting Assist, Smart Clipboard, and Touch Assistant.
None of these AI features are exactly new, as they are already part of One UI’s Chinese build. But with One UI 8.5, Samsung seemingly plans to expand its availability to other parts of the world.
More importantly, with One UI 8.5, Samsung could become the first Android manufacturer to base its custom skin on an Android Quarterly Platform Release.
While One UI 8 is based on Android 16, one report indicates One UI 8.5 will be based on Android 16 QPR2, which is currently under beta testing and will launch publicly in December.
This is a bigger deal than you think, as it shows Samsung’s move to follow the same trunk stable development timeline as Google is paying off. Going forward, Samsung could consistently be among the first — if not the first — to roll out major Android updates and QPR builds to its devices.
A curvier design
Curves are good
Samsung ditched the sharp corners with the Galaxy S25 Ultra this year, switching to rounded corners for better ergonomics and one-hand use. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the company will apparently double down on this design change.
Leaked dimensions of Samsung’s next Ultra flagship suggest the corners will get even more rounded. This should help with ergonomics and improve the phone’s pocketability.
The rounder frame will come at the expense of slightly larger dimensions, though, with the S26 Ultra supposedly being 0.3 mm wider than its predecessor. It will also purportedly increase in height by 0.6 mm.
The S25 Ultra is already a big phone, so the S26 Ultra’s larger dimensions could make it unwieldy and difficult to use. Hopefully, the rounded corners will help negate this to a certain extent.
As part of the design change, Samsung may even make the S Pen’s edge rounder to ensure it blends perfectly with the S26 Ultra’s curvier frame.
The rounder frame should complement the redesigned rear camera module and the rumored new iPhone 17 Pro–inspired orange shade, helping it stand out from Samsung’s previous Ultra flagships.
Galaxy S26 Ultra might be greater than the sum of its parts
There are still plenty of reasons not to get too excited about the Galaxy S26 Ultra. With no plans for a boost in battery capacity or charging speeds, the phone would again fall short in a key aspect.
However, as the phone’s rumored January 2026 launch timeline nears, it’s clear Samsung will again focus on software over hardware to deliver an unmatched experience.
Coupled with some breakthrough technologies like Privacy display and a few meaningful hardware upgrades, the S26 Ultra could be among the best flagships to launch in 2026.
