Rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S26 line of phones have been in flux for months now. First, we heard that Samsung could be replacing its base phone with the Pro. Then we heard that the Plus would be discontinued in favor of the S26 Edge. Later, we heard that none of this was true at all; the S26 is still on its way, and the S26 Plus is very much still alive. There was, however, never any doubt about the S26 Ultra. The S26 rumor mill was quite the rollercoaster, to say the least.
Now that the Galaxy S26 launch is imminent, leaks are slowing down, with a few speculations finally laid to rest.
Here's a quick rundown of the latest Galaxy S26 talk to make sense of it all.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus. James Martin/CNET
Galaxy S26 series release date (and pricing rumors)
Samsung has announced a Galaxy Unpacked event on Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) in San Francisco. That's a slightly delayed timeline compared to last year, when the S25 handsets were announced at a Galaxy Unpacked event on Jan. 22, 2025 (and then released on Feb. 7).
It's possible that additional S26 releases may occur throughout the year. In 2025, for example, Samsung released two more S25 handsets -- the S25 Edge and the S25 FE -- at two events in May and September.
We're also hearing some rumors from 9to5Google and elsewhere that the S26 lineup could be pricier than previous models. This could be due to the global shortage of DDR RAM, which also affects the price of laptops and other electronics. Some sources say that the S26 series could see a 30% to 40% price increase. It's unclear whether this price hike is global or affects only certain countries.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Galaxy S26 Ultra
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