A significant ‘leak’ has delivered the most detailed look so far at Samsung’s next major flagship trio, the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra, expected to launch in 2026. The designs reportedly surfaced through an early test build of One UI 8.5, spotted by Android Authority, and suggest that Samsung is refining its established aesthetic rather than pursuing drastic changes.
According to the leak, the Galaxy S26 series has adopted design cues reminiscent of the recently revealed Galaxy Z Fold 7. The upcoming models appear to feature circular rear camera cutouts placed on a slightly raised island, closely reflecting Samsung’s newer foldable design language. While the renders pulled from the firmware are basic and lack finer elements like flash placement or texture details, they match earlier reports from known tipsters.
Internally, the S26 series is said to fall under Samsung’s ‘Miracle’ project, with the three models carrying the codenames M1, M2 and M3. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to feature noticeably rounded corners compared to the more squared-off look of its predecessor. This subtle change seems to address user feedback while maintaining the brand’s signature minimalist style through its polished, individual camera rings.
For users hoping for a bold redesign, the S26 lineup may instead focus on polishing the premium look Samsung has been iterating on for years. Its resemblance to the Fold 7 also hints at Samsung’s efforts to unify the visual identity across its high-end device families.
Details on hardware remain scarce, as the leaked firmware does not reveal internal specifications. However, industry expectations suggest that most global variants of the Galaxy S26 series will run on Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, with some markets likely to receive Exynos-powered versions. Improvements in camera performance and computational photography, especially for the S26 Ultra, are also anticipated.
The leak does, however, shed light on the software direction. It confirms that Samsung’s updated interface, One UI 8.5 based on Android 16, will debut with the S26 series. Early test builds are reportedly already in development, with the Galaxy S25 lineup expected to begin One UI 8.5 beta testing around the second week of December.
One UI 8.5 appears to be an evolution of the current interface rather than a complete redesign. Users may see smoother animations, better multitasking, enhanced AI-powered features under the Galaxy AI suite, more efficient system performance, improved contextual widgets, richer lock-screen personalisation options, and stronger continuity across Galaxy phones, tablets and wearables.
Story continues below this ad
Broader strategy
Samsung’s broader strategy of strengthening its ecosystem is clear in these expected upgrades. If the leak holds true, the Galaxy S26 series will ship with One UI 8.5 out of the box, offering users a polished Android 16 experience tailored to Samsung’s growing AI and multi-device capabilities.
While Samsung has not formally confirmed any details yet, the Galaxy S26 range is likely to follow the company’s usual launch timeline and debut in February 2026. Until then, these early leaks provide an intriguing glimpse at what Samsung may be preparing for its flagship lineup next year.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
