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Exclusive: Galaxy S26 series could represent a major shake-up in Samsung’s flagship lineup

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C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

TL;DR The Galaxy S26 series could not only ditch the Plus model, but could also kill the standard model.

Evidence found in an internal One UI 8 build suggests a lineup of the Galaxy S26 Pro, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra.

That means Samsung may rename the base model to “Pro” and replace the “Plus” model with Edge.

Samsung’s next major release is the Galaxy S26 series, with the launch of its latest foldables now behind it. Earlier reports suggested Samsung might drop the “Plus” model entirely in 2026 and introduce an “Edge” model in its place. If those rumors hold up, the lineup would include the Galaxy S26, S26 Edge, and S26 Ultra. But Samsung’s rebranding and strategy pivot might go even further than that.

We’ve uncovered compelling evidence within an internal One UI 8 build pointing to a much bigger shake-up in the Galaxy S26 lineup. According to the codenames and actual device names we’ve uncovered, there may not be a standard or vanilla “Galaxy S26” model at all next year. Instead, Samsung’s upcoming flagship series appears to consist of three models: Galaxy S26 Pro, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. Let’s break it down.

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Galaxy S26 series: The biggest shakeup in years

For the Galaxy S24 lineup, Samsung reportedly used the internal codename “Eureka,” with E1, E2, and E3 corresponding to the standard, Plus, and Ultra models, respectively. The Galaxy S25 series was given the codename Paradigm, with individual models labeled PA1 (S25), PA2 (S25 Plus), and PA3 (S25 Ultra).

Previous reports pointed to internal codenames NP1, NP2, and NP3 for the Galaxy S26 series, with “NP” standing for Next Paradigm. However, our findings from the One UI 8 firmware contradict those earlier leaks. Instead, the internal builds reference three devices labeled M1, M2, and M3, which map to the Galaxy S26 Pro, S26 Edge, and S26 Ultra, respectively (see screenshots from the firmware above).

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