Samsung Galaxy S26 rumored to ditch Plus model, adopt iPhone-like design

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series won’t arrive until early 2026, but the rumor mill is already churning with significant changes that could reshape the company’s flagship smartphone lineup. These early leaks suggest Samsung is preparing its most dramatic overhaul in years, potentially eliminating popular models while adopting design cues from Apple and integrating new AI partnerships.

The South Korean tech giant typically unveils its Galaxy S series in January or February, giving the company several months to finalize these rumored features. However, the consistency of reports from multiple sources suggests Samsung is seriously considering major shifts in strategy, from rebranding its base model to overhauling its approach to wireless charging and AI integration.

Galaxy S26 lineup faces major reshuffling

Samsung’s current Galaxy S25 series includes five distinct models: the standard S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, the ultra-thin S25 Edge, and the budget-focused S25 FE (Fan Edition). This expansive lineup may be too complex for consumers and costly for Samsung to maintain effectively.

Multiple reports initially suggested Samsung would follow Apple’s lead by discontinuing the Plus variant due to disappointing sales performance. The plan would have streamlined the lineup to just three models: base, Ultra, and Edge. However, recent developments indicate this strategy may be shifting.

Korean technology publication Elec reported that the S25 Edge hasn’t generated the sales momentum needed to replace the Plus model. Subsequently, NewsPim, another Korean outlet, reported that Samsung has cancelled the S26 Edge entirely and halted production of the current S25 Edge. An anonymous Samsung official told NewsPim that the ultra-slim model may never return to the lineup.

The most significant rumored change involves rebranding the base Galaxy S26 model as the “Galaxy S26 Pro.” This naming shift would align Samsung more closely with Apple’s iPhone Pro branding strategy and could signal a repositioning of the entry-level flagship as a more premium offering.

Design changes mirror iPhone 17 aesthetic

Samsung appears ready to abandon its distinctive camera island design in favor of rectangular camera bumps similar to those introduced on Apple’s iPhone 17 series. According to multiple industry leakers, each S26 model would feature a different camera configuration within these new rectangular housings.

The rumored S26 Pro would sport a vertical bump containing three cameras, while the S26 Ultra would feature three cameras in a vertical arrangement plus an additional camera positioned to the right. If Samsung proceeds with the S26 Edge, it would reportedly include a massive horizontal camera bump spanning the full width of the device, similar to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but with just two cameras.

Color options may also reflect Apple’s influence, with Samsung potentially adopting a cosmic orange variant for the S26 Ultra that closely resembles Apple’s recent color choices.

S Pen compatibility drives wireless charging upgrade

The S Pen stylus, exclusive to Samsung’s Ultra models, presents unique engineering challenges that have prevented full Qi2 wireless charging compatibility. Qi2 represents the latest wireless charging standard that uses magnetic alignment similar to Apple’s MagSafe system, enabling faster charging speeds and better accessory compatibility.

Samsung’s current S25 Ultra supports what the company calls “Qi2 ready” functionality, meaning it works with magnetized cases that enable Qi2 charging. However, direct magnetic accessories can interfere with the S Pen’s digitizer—the underlying technology that detects stylus input on the screen. This interference prevents the Ultra model from supporting the full Qi2 standard without accessories.

Samsung is reportedly redesigning its stylus technology to eliminate this magnetic interference, which would enable true Qi2 compatibility across the entire S26 lineup. Images shared by leaker Sonny Dickson show dummy models with magnetic rings positioned on the back panel, suggesting Samsung has found engineering solutions for this challenge.

If Samsung adopts the newer Qi2.2 standard, wireless charging speeds could increase significantly from the current 15-watt limit to 25 watts, making wireless charging nearly as fast as many wired charging solutions.

Perplexity AI integration challenges Google partnership

Samsung’s Galaxy devices currently feature Google’s Gemini AI assistant prominently throughout the user interface. However, Bloomberg reports that Samsung is negotiating to integrate Perplexity AI, a search-focused artificial intelligence service, into the Galaxy S26 series.

Perplexity AI specializes in providing direct answers to questions by searching and synthesizing information from multiple sources, rather than simply providing links like traditional search engines. The proposed integration would preload Perplexity on Galaxy S26 devices and incorporate its search functionality directly into Samsung’s Internet Browser application.

This potential partnership follows Motorola’s decision to integrate Perplexity into its Razr series smartphones, suggesting broader industry interest in alternatives to Google’s AI services. For Samsung, diversifying its AI partnerships could reduce dependence on Google while offering users different AI interaction styles.

The Galaxy S26 series will launch with One UI 8, Samsung’s custom Android interface, running on top of Android 16. These software versions represent Samsung’s latest user interface improvements and Google’s newest mobile operating system features.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 promises performance gains

Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon processor will likely power most Galaxy S26 models in key markets including the United States. The current Galaxy S25 series uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which already outperforms competitors including Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL in both single-core and multi-core performance benchmarks.

However, Samsung will likely continue using its own Exynos processors in certain international markets. Exynos chips are Samsung’s in-house alternative to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors, though they typically offer slightly lower performance and efficiency compared to Snapdragon equivalents.

Camera upgrades focus on aperture improvements

Despite ongoing criticism from photography enthusiasts about Samsung’s camera performance, the Galaxy S26 series may not receive major sensor upgrades. The base S26 Pro is expected to retain its 50-megapixel main camera, while the S26 Ultra will likely keep its 200-megapixel primary sensor.

However, the S26 Ultra may receive a larger f/1.4 aperture for its main camera, compared to the current f/1.8 aperture. A larger aperture allows more light to reach the camera sensor, improving low-light photography performance and enabling better background blur effects for portrait photography.

Some unverified rumors suggest Samsung might introduce a 324-megapixel camera sensor, though this appears unlikely given the practical limitations of such high-resolution sensors in smartphone photography. As camera analysts frequently note, megapixel count beyond 50MP provides diminishing returns for typical smartphone photography use cases.

Battery and charging receive meaningful upgrades

The Galaxy S26 Ultra may finally receive faster wired charging capabilities, with rumors suggesting an increase from 45 watts to 60 watts. This improvement would bring Samsung closer to Chinese competitors like OnePlus and Xiaomi, which offer charging speeds exceeding 100 watts on their flagship devices.

Battery capacity may also increase slightly, with the S26 Ultra potentially featuring a 5,400 mAh battery compared to the current 5,000 mAh capacity. While this 8% increase seems modest, combined with a more efficient processor, it could deliver noticeably longer battery life.

The addition of true Qi2 wireless charging support across the lineup represents perhaps the most significant charging upgrade. Beyond faster wireless charging speeds, Qi2 compatibility would enable a broader ecosystem of magnetic accessories including car mounts, desktop stands, and portable battery packs.

Release timeline and pricing expectations

Samsung typically announces its Galaxy S series during January or February, with retail availability following within weeks. The Galaxy S26 series will likely follow this established timeline, arriving in early 2026.

Pricing information remains scarce given the early stage of development, but Samsung’s recent strategy suggests maintaining competitive positioning against Apple’s iPhone lineup. The potential rebranding of the base model to “Pro” could justify a modest price increase, though Samsung must balance premium positioning with market competitiveness.

Market implications

These rumored changes reflect Samsung’s response to intensifying competition in the premium smartphone market. By potentially eliminating underperforming models like the Edge variant while upgrading core features like wireless charging and AI integration, Samsung appears focused on streamlining its lineup while strengthening its competitive position.

The possible shift toward Apple-inspired design elements and the “Pro” branding strategy suggests Samsung recognizes the marketing power of Apple’s approach, even as it maintains technical differentiation through features like the S Pen and advanced camera systems.

However, the success of these changes will ultimately depend on execution and consumer reception. Samsung’s challenge lies in balancing innovation with the practical needs of users who have made Galaxy devices the world’s best-selling Android smartphones.