Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus: six major upgrades to expect in February

The next wave of Samsung flagships is already taking shape, and the Galaxy S26 family is at the center of it. After months of leaks suggesting that the Plus model might be cancelled, new reports indicate that Samsung has changed course. The larger but not quite ultra sibling is now expected to return as the Galaxy S26 Plus, sitting neatly between the compact base Galaxy S26 and the top tier Ultra model in the lineup.

Equally important, Samsung is reportedly sticking with simple and familiar naming this time.

Earlier whispers about a Galaxy S26 Pro seem to have been shelved, and the smallest model in the lineup is once again tipped to be called simply Galaxy S26. That might sound like a minor detail, but it clarifies the portfolio for buyers who were understandably confused by the idea of an extra Pro badge squeezed between Plus and Ultra.

Beyond names and marketing, the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are shaping up to be meaningful upgrades over the current generation. From the processor under the hood and changes to the camera island, through to faster wireless charging, full Qi2 support and a refreshed AI experience in One UI 8.5, Samsung appears to be quietly preparing one of its biggest mid cycle redesigns in years.

Regional Exynos and Snapdragon strategy returns

One of the most debated decisions around Samsung flagships is back: the split between Exynos and Snapdragon chips depending on where you buy the phone. According to current rumors, both the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus will ship with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in some markets, while others will receive Samsung’s in house Exynos 2600 chipset.

Previous Exynos generations have taken a lot of criticism for running hotter, draining batteries faster and delivering lower sustained performance compared with their Snapdragon counterparts. Samsung seems determined to change that narrative. The Exynos 2600 is said to be manufactured on an advanced 2 nanometre process, putting it on the bleeding edge of mobile silicon. In theory, that should translate into higher efficiency, cooler operation and smoother performance in demanding tasks such as gaming, 4K video capture and on device AI workloads.

Exactly how close the new Exynos solution will come to Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip remains to be seen, but if Samsung finally narrows the gap, owners in Exynos regions may no longer feel like they are getting a second tier version of the same phone.

Subtle front, new camera island at the back

From the front, early renders suggest that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will look reassuringly familiar, with slim bezels, a centred punch hole selfie camera and flat display panels. The real visual change appears on the rear, where Samsung is reportedly rethinking the camera layout.

Instead of separate lenses that float individually on the back glass as on the S25 generation, both S26 models are expected to adopt a unified camera island that gently rises from the back panel. All rear cameras sit inside this island, giving the phones a more structured and deliberate look.

Some fans will inevitably argue about whether the new slab style camera island is more elegant than the minimalist floating lens approach. However, there is a very practical upside. By surrounding the lenses with a raised frame, Samsung can reduce the issue of lint and dust building up in the gaps between the separate camera rings, something many S25 and S25 Plus owners complained about over time.

Faster 20 watt wireless charging

Wireless charging has become standard on premium devices, but Samsung has tended to stay conservative with charging speeds. With the Galaxy S26 generation, that finally looks set to change. Rumors point to both the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus increasing wireless charging speeds from 15 watts to 20 watts.

An extra 5 watts may not sound dramatic on paper, but it should noticeably shorten top up times, especially when combined with modern cooling solutions and more efficient chips. Early information suggests that battery capacities themselves may not grow this year, so the bump in charging speed becomes even more important for users who rely on frequent wireless top ups throughout the day at the desk, in the car or on night stands.

True Qi2 support and native magnetic accessories

Under the surface, wireless charging is also evolving in a bigger way. The entire Galaxy S26 family is expected to offer fully certified Qi2 support. Unlike previous phones that were merely labelled Qi2 ready, the S26 and S26 Plus are rumoured to integrate magnets directly in the body, similar to the approach popularised by MagSafe on competing devices.

This move could transform the everyday ecosystem around the phones. Native magnets make it far easier to use precisely aligned wireless chargers and snap on accessories such as compact power banks, wallet attachments, foldable stands, vent mounted car holders and even gaming grips. For the S25 generation, owners had to rely on special cases with integrated magnets to get the same effect. With the S26 series, the magnetic experience should work right out of the box.

Improved telephoto camera for sharper zoom

Photography remains one of the main battlegrounds for modern flagships, and Samsung is not ignoring that with the S26 refresh. Reports claim that the entire 2026 S series lineup will move to a new 12 megapixel telephoto camera with a 1 over 2.55 inch sensor. That is a notable step up from the 10 megapixel, 1 over 3.52 inch unit seen in the current S25 models.

The optical zoom level should remain at 3 times, but the larger sensor area allows more light to hit each pixel. In practical terms, users can expect cleaner zoom shots with better detail retention, less noise in dim bars or restaurants and more natural depth separation when shooting portraits at the telephoto focal length.

Combined with improved image processing and AI powered scene detection, the new hardware could make the telephoto camera feel less like a backup and more like a lens you actually want to use regularly.

Smarter Galaxy AI and One UI 8.5

The last major pillar of the Galaxy S26 story is software. The phones are expected to debut with One UI 8.5 on top of Android, and Samsung is reportedly preparing a new wave of Galaxy AI features to go with it. The focus this time is said to be a more user centric approach where the phone takes the initiative instead of waiting for you to dig through menus.

That might take the form of proactive suggestions based on context, such as offering to summarise a long article, automatically tidy up a messy screenshot folder, create a quick translation overlay in messaging apps or propose a battery saving profile when it detects that you are far from a charger. Voice assisted tools and on device generative features are also likely to benefit from the combination of stronger chips and refined algorithms.

On the interface side, One UI 8.5 is rumoured to introduce a fully customisable Quick Settings shade, refreshed system icons and typography, richer always on display options and smarter power saving modes that are easier to understand. A redesigned voicemail experience is also on the cards, potentially including cleaner transcripts and smarter filtering of spam or robocalls.

A more complete upgrade than it first appears

Individually, none of these changes may sound revolutionary. Taken together, though, the return of the Galaxy S26 Plus, the revamped camera design, faster and smarter wireless charging, a more capable telephoto lens and an AI heavy software update could make the S26 generation one of Samsung’s most balanced flagship releases in years.

If the rumours hold and the series launches in February as expected, buyers coming from the S24 or older devices may find plenty of reasons to upgrade, while even S25 owners might be tempted by the combination of hardware refinements and deeper Galaxy AI integration.