Samsung appears set to continue its familiar camera strategy for the baseline Galaxy S-series, as a new report from South Korea’s The Elec suggests that the upcoming Galaxy S26 will reuse the same camera modules found in the Galaxy S25.
This follows a trend observed over the past few years, with the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S24, and Galaxy S25 all sharing nearly identical camera hardware.
According to the report, the Galaxy S26 will once again feature a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom using a 1/3.94-inch sensor, and a 12MP ultrawide camera equipped with a 1/2.55-inch sensor. While this hardware remains capable, it marks another year without major imaging upgrades for Samsung’s standard flagship model.
Interestingly, this was not Samsung’s original plan. The Elec claims that Samsung initially intended to introduce upgraded camera sensors with the Galaxy S26, alongside a higher starting price. However, Apple’s strategy for the iPhone 17 reportedly forced a change in direction. Apple is expected to upgrade the vanilla iPhone 17 with a 120Hz ProMotion LTPO OLED display and 256GB base storage, all while retaining its $799 starting price.
This competitive pricing strategy is said to have influenced Samsung to match Apple’s entry point, prompting the company to ditch its planned camera improvements in order to maintain the $799 launch price for the Galaxy S26.
The shift in plans is also expected to impact the Galaxy S26’s production timeline. With internal component layouts needing to be redesigned to align with the updated cost structure, mass production of the standard Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ will now reportedly begin in early 2026. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains on schedule and is expected to enter mass production this month.
As Samsung adjusts to competitive market pressures, fans of the baseline Galaxy S-series may need to wait another year for significant camera upgrades.