The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to make its official debut in late February 2026, but recent leaks suggest that the upcoming flagship may not bring any major camera hardware upgrades over its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
According to reliable tipsters, Samsung plans to retain the same core camera configuration found on the S25 Ultra, with only a minor change in the telephoto department. The new model is said to replace the 10MP telephoto sensor with a 12MP Samsung S5K3LD sensor offering improved clarity and detail, especially for zoomed-in shots.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to feature a 200MP Samsung HP2 primary sensor, a 50MP JN3 ultrawide lens, and a 50MP Sony IMX854 periscope telephoto camera that supports up to 5x optical zoom. For selfies, Samsung will reportedly include a 12MP Sony IMX874 front camera, maintaining its focus on crisp and detailed self-portraits.
In addition to the hardware, Samsung is also introducing a new APV video codec option, which aims to enhance video recording efficiency and quality. This addition could make the S26 Ultra more appealing to creators and vloggers who rely heavily on mobile video performance.
While the design of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to remain similar to the S25 Ultra, Samsung may refine the build quality and display brightness. As with previous models, the device is likely to ship with Android 15 and One UI 7.0, running on the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for Galaxy chipset in most regions.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra was priced between $789 and $1,419 depending on storage variants, and the S26 Ultra is expected to launch in a similar price range.
If leaks hold true, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will focus on software optimizations and image processing improvements rather than introducing an entirely new camera system.