The more we hear about the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, the more underwhelming this launch feels. For a second there, Samsung had all of us fooled with dreams of a refreshed line-up consisting of a new Galaxy S26 Pro, an Edge, and an Ultra, which would’ve been a nice departure from its traditional S, S Plus, and S Ultra plans. Then, the Galaxy S26 Pro was unceremoniously killed before it was even launched (not that it seemed that exciting to begin with), and the rumors converged back to the same ol’ brand new Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra.
This internal confusion and identity crisis at Samsung has left the company scrambling for last-minute plans, and it shows. Every leak we’ve heard so far points to the Galaxy S26 Ultra being a semi-decent upgrade to the S25 Ultra, since it was always part of the company’s plans, but the S26 and S26 Plus are practically repackaged and unchanged from their S25 counterparts. This is why I don’t need to wait for 2026 to be over before claiming what I already know: The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will be the worst phones of 2026.
Do you think that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will underperform their competitors in 2026? 222 votes Yes, for sure. 44 % Probably. 23 % I'm not sure yet. 13 % Probably not. 8 % No, definitely not! 12 %
Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V
Sajid_GG
The image above from u/Sajid_GG ridiculing the Galaxy S26’s lack of camera upgrades compared to the four year older S22 has sparked a lot of conversation on Reddit about the S series’ stagnation, specifically how neglected and forgotten the base model has been over the last few years. Rumors of Samsung giving its next phone a much-needed camera boost next year have died, supposedly for cost-cutting reasons.
The Galaxy S26 isn't the product of a thriving company that's out to innovate and break boundaries, it's the meagre leftover from a company that's out of ideas.
Cameras are only one part of the equation, though, as Samsung has rehashed and repackaged many features of its Galaxy S and S Plus for years now, barely giving them a cosmetic lift and some minor upgrades to warrant selling them again under a new name.
@UniverseIce / X
Just take a look at this leaked spec sheet comparison between the Galaxy S25 and S26. You’ll have to squint to find some notable differences: a slightly larger display, the already-problematic and overheating Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a larger battery that’s nowhere near what its competitors are offering, and an upgrade to 256GB as base storage option. We also know that wireless charging may get a bump from 15W to 20W. This is not the fruit of a thriving company that’s out to innovate and break boundaries, it’s the meagre leftover from a company that’s out of ideas.
... continue reading