Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wishlist: All the attributes I would love to see

Samsung suches as to make a sprinkle at the beginning of each brand-new year. Its Galaxy S series front runners are several of the first of all journalisms, offering us a preference of brand-new AI attributes, fresh Snapdragon (or Exynos) chipsets, and several of the latest, hardest products that Corning’s Gorilla Glass group has actually produced. And on top of that lot rests the Galaxy S Ultra.

Now, Samsung’s leading canine is a well-known amount– the Ultra is mosting likely to allow, it’s mosting likely to be effective, and it’s mosting likely to include an integrated S Pen from the days of the Galaxy Note line. Nevertheless, there’s constantly a little area to fantasize regarding what else Samsung could do to expand those attributes. So, allow’s consider simply a couple of points I’m wishing Samsung modifications for its Galaxy S26 Ultra.

There are no main reports or leakages behind any one of these. I’m simply a person that wishes to see among the very best Android phones get back at much better, so allow’s jump to it.

When I examined Samsung’s last Galaxy S25 Ultra, I came away with blended sensations. Out the efficiency front– the important things was a monster many thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset– however on the layout front. Basically, I could not locate a comfy means to hold and make use of such a big gadget, and making it look even more like the smaller sized Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus had not been functioning.

Yes, it behaves that Samsung abandoned the formerly sharp edges on top and base of its Ultra– it recognized that it really did not require a completely level side for the S Pen to port right into– however I do not such as the substitute layout. Instead of maintain with the rounded sides that I would certainly pertain to appreciate on the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra, Samsung switched to a level, iPhone-like framework, and it seemed like it explored my hands the whole time I examined the phone.

So, for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, allowed’s make curved cool once more. Samsung’s rounded frameworks are a lot a lot more comfy to hold than its sharp, level ones, to the factor where I ‘d gladly return to something like the Galaxy S23 once more merely due to the fact that I appreciated bring it about. Changing to a rounded framework would certainly make the Galaxy S26 Ultra a little bit much more unique, as well, since others like Google and Absolutely nothing have actually embraced level frameworks.

Sticking to my appeal for character, I would love to see Samsung enliven its electronic camera bump to match its newfound (academic) contours. We primarily made this statement pertaining to the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 And Also, however there’s nearly absolutely nothing to obtain thrilled regarding when each of Samsung’s cams beings in its very own round intermediary. Incorporated with the level sides and straightforward shades, it virtually makes the triad resemble common phones that Apple would certainly make use of for contrast’s benefit, without the eye sore notch in their display screens.

You recognize when Samsung really did not have this issue, though? When the Galaxy S21 and S22 collection included their Shape Cut electronic camera bumps. They weren’t always expensive– you would not perplex them for something like the huge disc on a OnePlus 13 or the electronic camera bar on a Google Pixel– however they separated the or else straightforward layout and placed a little security in between each lens.

Currently, it’s time for Samsung to bring them back. I indicate, it currently offered its Galaxy S25 Side (which I can not think I have actually currently referenced two times) a bigger electronic camera bump, allowing it stand out nearly the density of the phone itself, and I such as the little dosage of character that it includes. And sure, Samsung did that due to the fact that it could not potentially fit the equipment within the body itself, however I still like that it separates the or else straightforward layout.

Up following, the Galaxy S Ultra has actually constantly held an online reputation as Samsung’s zoom king and among the best camera phones around. It grabbed 100x Area Zoom while the smaller sized Galaxy S tools stuck to 30x, and it’s constantly had the liberty to maximize its additional megapixels. That stated, I still believe that dumping the 10x optical telephoto sensing unit from the Galaxy S23 Ultra and changing it with a greater resolution 5x sensing unit was an error.

Currently, it looks like Samsung could concur with me simply a little– also if it remains in a somewhat in reverse means. See, the Galaxy S25 Edge (there it is once more), makes the fascinating transfer to deliver without a telephoto sensing unit of any type of kind. Nevertheless, it still sustains approximately 10x zoom from its main 200MP sensing unit many thanks to a mix of sensing unit chopping and AI handling, and I have actually been quite thrilled by the photos I have actually recorded over my month with the phone. So, if you ask me, the 5x telephoto sensing unit appears unneeded.

Rather, I would love to see Samsung count on its large 200MP sensing unit for a lot of its base zoom. It can maintain the 3x telephoto sensing unit, permitting it to deal with the main electronic camera for every little thing from 3x zoom to simply shy of 10x zoom. After that, I would certainly like to see Samsung revive the a little longer optical sensing unit for sharper outcomes approximately regarding 60x zoom. I possibly will not take advantage of 100x zoom extremely commonly, however if a much longer focal size implies much better cause the center, that’s excellent sufficient for me.

While a lot of my wishlist has actually been points I can expect from the following Galaxy S26 Ultra, this following factor could be one of the most crucial: Samsung requires to make its S Pen excellent once more. If it’s mosting likely to maintain the stylus pen that gained a lot of performance followers on the Galaxy Note collection, it can not remove its attributes back to bit greater than the stylus pen on Motorola’s a lot more economical Moto G Stylus pen, which is generally what it did on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Even more particularly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s S Pen utilized a Bluetooth LE link to remain combined with your phone, and it provided smart attributes like Air Actions, which you can carry out a couple of inches far from your display, and it additionally functioned as a remote electronic camera shutter for ordering team selfies. Currently, both of those benefits remain in the past. Rather, the S Pen is, well, simply a pen– and an extremely costly one at that.

To make me better with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, all Samsung needs to do is reverse what seems like an extremely foolish choice to begin with. It simply needs to revive the old S Pen and offer it the attributes followers like. Perhaps it removed out several of that capability from its stylus pen due to the fact that inadequate individuals were utilizing it, however at that price, it nearly makes even more feeling to ditch the stylus pen entirely.

Need to Samsung choose its S Pen does not require much of an upgrade, I have an additional idea: Provide me Qi2 wireless charging Yes, I recognize the Galaxy S25 collection was practically Qi2 All set and can deal with magnets if placed in the appropriate situation, however that’s inadequate for me. If I go down over $1,000 on a brand-new phone, I would love to see it sustain the most recent cordless billing criteria.

Now, the factor for not including magnets to Samsung’s most costly front runner is straightforward– they do not play well with the S Pen. Which’s great, the S Pen was below long prior to Qi2 debuted. Nevertheless, if the S Pen does not play well with the attributes it utilized to have, isn’t this even more like taking 2 L’s for the cost of one? I’m worsening cordless charging and a much less useful stylus pen while paying even more than ever before for a brand-new front runner phone.

Considering That a lot of my pointers for the Galaxy S26 Ultra have actually can be found in sets thus far, allow’s round it out with a somewhat bigger speak about the phone’s battery and billing arrangement. Like many points, Samsung hasn’t moved from what service the Galaxy S Ultra in recent times, which implies its 5,000 mAh cell and 45W wired billing correspond what they got on the Galaxy S22 Ultra– a phone that will certainly be 4 years of ages when the following collection of Galaxy S phones appears.

4 years is a long period of time in phone years, and to price quote Taylor Swift, “Whatever has actually transformed.” Silicon-carbon batteries are showing up on an increasing number of tools, with the relatively little OnePlus 13T packaging a 6,260 mAh cell behind its 6.32-inch display screen and the front runner OnePlus 13 providing a 6,000 mAh cell too. So, for Samsung to claim that 5,000 mAh suffices, it seems like choosing much less.

Regrettably, 45W wired billing is no more as remarkable as it utilized to be, and USB-C is still a mess. OnePlus frequently ships its phones with 80W battery chargers in package, and also Motorola is pressing 68W TurboPower on its newest Razr Ultra. Both fast sufficient to run circle the Galaxy S25 Ultra and obtain you back on your feet, also if you require specific chargers for all 3 tools.

As trustworthy as the truth that the sunlight will certainly turn up tomorrow, there will certainly be a Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung has actually utilized the name for greater than 5 generations throughout the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note schedules, and it’s difficult to see that transforming. As a matter of fact, with the unique therapy that Samsung offers its Ultra, I would certainly presume regarding claim that this is the most safe wager of the whole Galaxy S collection.

Besides, if Samsung were to tip far from its Ultra-tier front runner, it would certainly be delivering control of the exceptional area to opponents like the Pixel 9 Pro XL or apple iphone 16 Pro Max– an unimaginable option today. I believe Samsung could be risking its control over the section as it is, specifically after the Galaxy S25 Ultra seemed like a launch on auto-pilot, however that’s a discussion for an additional day.

Beyond recognizing that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is absolutely on its means, we do not recognize much else. We can, nevertheless, attempt when we believe the phone could introduce based upon previous Unpacked occasions. Right here’s when Samsung introduced its last couple of Galaxy S schedules:

• Samsung Galaxy S25– Revealed January 22, 2025 
• Samsung Galaxy S24– Revealed January 17, 2024 
• Samsung Galaxy S23– Revealed February 1, 2023 

If that’s anything to take place, we ought to anticipate a launch day in late January or very early February of following year. This can alter, however, with Qualcomm commonly anticipated to introduce its following front runner chipset in late September, which is earlier than its typical October home window.

While it was quite simple to claim that there will certainly be a Galaxy S26 Ultra, the much more difficult concern is whether you ought to wait to get it. Now in 2025, we have to do with as away from both the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S26 launches as we will certainly obtain, so it resembles being decreased in a swimming pool and making a decision which means you wish to swim.

If you’re a solid swimmer (emergency room, your phone remains in good condition), you can possibly wait it out and grab the Galaxy S26 Ultra when it’s at some point introduced. You can additionally wait till we obtain even more concrete reports and leakages in position and afterwards choose to get the present Galaxy S25 Ultra rather. If your phone gets on its last legs, it could be time to update. It’s quite simple to locate a bargain on among Samsung’s present front runners, and it’ll conserve you the expectancy of what can seem like an additional cookie-cutter upgrade by the time it introduces.

You can additionally look outside the Samsung environment at the Pixel 9 Pro XL ($1099 at Amazon ), which brings a Google-y panache and exceptional photo handling to the table, or the OnePlus 13 ($899.99 at OnePlus ), with its large battery, quickly billing, and lovely blue natural leather surface. However, they’ll both schedule for next-generation upgrades quickly, as well.