We're likely only a few months away from the next Samsung Unpacked event and rumors are swirling about the Galaxy S26 line of phones. And boy, have they been all over the place. A few months ago, there was talk that Samsung would be replacing its base phone with the Pro, the Plus would be dropped in favor of the S26 Edge (much like how Apple dropped its Plus phone for the thin iPhone Air) and the Ultra would stick around without any name change.
But just a few weeks ago, new reports emerged. Word is, the S26 Pro will just be the S26, and the S26 Edge might be on its way out. If that sounds confusing, here's a quick rundown of the latest Galaxy S26 rumors to make sense of it all.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus. James Martin / CNET
Galaxy S26 line release date
Samsung usually holds a few Unpacked events each year, with the first taking place in either January or February. Most of this year's S25 handsets were announced at a Galaxy Unpacked event on Jan. 22, 2025, and released on Feb. 7, so we can expect a similar timeline for the Galaxy S26 series.
However, it's possible that there might be additional S26 releases throughout the year. In 2025, for example, Samsung released two more S25 handsets -- the S25 Edge and the S25 FE -- at two separate events in May and September, respectively.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Galaxy S26 Pro
For months, one of the biggest rumors about the Galaxy S26 was that there might not be one at all. Internal build code uncovered by Android Authority suggested Samsung could be scrapping the base model entirely and replacing it with the S26 Pro. That might sound strange at first, but it could have signaled Samsung's plan to position the S26 lineup as a more premium offering than its predecessors.
But according to a new report from SamMobile, the Galaxy S26 Pro might actually just be the standard Galaxy S26. Given that most other rumors suggest the phone will be pretty entry-level, that could very well be the case.
... continue reading