No larger battery in Galaxy S26 Ultra
New documentation from the Chinese Quality Certification Centre shows that Samsung is again using a 5000 mAh battery for the Ultra variant. While some leakers previously predicted an upgrade to 5500 mAh, this does not seem to be the case. Still, that doesn't mean nothing will change. In fact, Samsung is said to be increasing the charging speed from the familiar 45W to 60W fast charging. With this, a much-hyped wish of users will still be fulfilled.
Sticking to 5000 mAh also allows Samsung to make the Ultra thinner, reportedly to less than 8 mm thick. Changes are also expected for the other models in the S26 series: the Galaxy S26 Edge is said to get a 4200 mAh battery, while the new Galaxy S26 Pro is likely to get 4300 mAh.
Design: a big camera island
The Ultra's look could change dramatically next year. Since the S22 Ultra, Samsung has opted for separate camera lenses on the back, but with the S26 Ultra, this would give way to a large camera island. In doing so, Samsung is once again joining a trend that Apple is also following: the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will also get a large island.
The choice of this design is not only aesthetic, but also functional. According to a Korean report, the larger island makes room for improved cameras, including a new 200-megapixel main camera with a 1/1.1" sensor from Sony and an improved telephoto lens. In addition, the device gets rounder corners than the S25 Ultra, which should make it look a bit softer.
We expect the new Galaxy S26 series at the start of the new year.
