Galaxy S26 Ultra is going to be Samsung’s next top flagship. Here’s what I want it to deliver, improving upon the S25 Ultra.
Samsung has finally come forward and revealed the release date of its highly anticipated Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is set for February 25 2026. It isn’t just the S26 Ultra that’s launching; the other S26 models and new wearables are also expected to debut alongside it. Now that it’s finally coming out, I think there are multiple areas where it should improve compared to the previous generation flagship, the S25 Ultra, including cameras, design and more. If it delivers on these fronts, it would make for a much better product than the S25 Ultra. Read on for the details.
A better telephoto camera
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has two telephoto lenses. Yes, two. But neither is as capable as those found on Chinese flagships like the Vivo X300 Pro or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. It’s high time Samsung brings a much larger sensor to the S series, or at least introduces features such as telephoto macro capabilities, which would make the overall experience far more versatile. However, based on current reports, the S26 Ultra could end up using the same primary telephoto camera as the S25 Ultra.
Rounded corners
The Galaxy S25 Ultra was a major refinement over the S24 Ultra in terms of in-hand comfort. The corners are much softer and no longer dig into your palms. If the S26 Ultra softens the corners further, it would result in an even more refined experience compared to the S25 Ultra.
This year, reports suggest Samsung could follow Apple’s footsteps by switching to aluminium and moving away from titanium, which could be one of the biggest hints at what to expect this year.
Better haptics and integration
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has good haptics, but they aren’t great, at least not as good as those on the Pixel 10 Pro or the iPhone 17 Pro. Great haptics significantly improve the overall perceived experience. Taps feel more tactile, interactions feel softer, and the UI feels more premium thanks to subtle haptic feedback integration. If the S26 Ultra improves on this, it would offer a far superior experience compared to the outgoing S25 Ultra.
More battery
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging. When you think about it, this isn’t very competitive compared to some recent flagships, including the OnePlus 15 and the Realme GT 8 Pro. This is largely because Samsung is still not opting for silicon-carbon battery technology. Based on recent industry videos and reports, Samsung appears to be waiting for the technology to mature, but it remains to be seen how Samsung loyalists react to this approach in the long run.
The article originally appeared on Hindustan Times
