What I believe Samsung ought to do with the Galaxy S26

Samsung looks like a little bit of a contradiction in the mean time. Whereas it is on the forefront of smartphone design with foldables just like the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, it additionally simply launched the Galaxy S25 series, which can be considered one of its most conservative flagship launches ever. The consensus appears to be that whereas the S25 lineup is stable, it is solely a tiny evolution over the S24, principally providing sooner efficiency and some new AI choices. You probably have an S24 and even an S23, there’s not a lot motive to improve.

That raises an essential query, from a tech business perspective — the place can Samsung’s design go from right here? I believe it is secure to say that Samsung cannot maintain treading water if it desires to face out out there — and but the corporate does not appear inclined to swim again to shore anytime quickly.

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A couple of prospects, however not many

The long run might be already written

I can image the Galaxy S26 in my head already. The most recent rumor, by way of FNN News, is that upcoming Samsung telephones will change to silicon-carbon battery know-how. It is a variant of lithium-ion, the primary enchancment being higher power density, supporting thinner battery packs with equal capability. There is a robust probability the S26 will appear like the (nonetheless mysterious) Galaxy S25 Edge — which, just like the iPhone 17 Air, is perhaps Samsung’s approach of testing the waters with silicon-carbon. Though the tech is already in a handful of Chinese language telephones, Apple and Samsung could also be reluctant to go all-in simply but.

Based mostly on Samsung’s launch historical past, I could make different predictions, too. Samsung will naturally supply some type of processor improve, presumably paired with extra RAM to higher help its AI ambitions. And naturally there can be digital camera upgrades, one rumor being that Samsung desires to make use of a 200-megapixel periscope zoom system. That might make the S26 Extremely a pictures powerhouse, though once more, it could simply be maintaining with Chinese language telephones just like the Vivo X200 Professional.

These AI ambitions will most likely be carefully tied to no matter Google’s engaged on. The S25 makes Google Gemini a key part, and Samsung has beforehand cooperated with Google on different AI options like circle-to-search. Samsung will undoubtedly wish to put its personal stamp on issues — simply do not count on something radical.

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Extra the identical is not sufficient

What ought to Samsung be exploring?

If none of these S26 rumors sound thrilling, I do not assume they need to be. Sure, higher battery life — or not less than thinner designs with the identical longevity — will have an effect on each day use, however most likely not a dramatic one. We’re a far cry from the times when Samsung was making conspicuous leaps each technology or two. There’s nothing dramatic on the horizon, and it is slightly disheartening. Even the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 will most likely be minor upgrades based mostly on the few rumors I’ve seen to this point.

One factor Samsung must do is experiment with type elements, and I do not imply altering how sharp its corners are to match no matter Apple’s into this 12 months. It may, for instance, attempt to make its telephones slightly extra ergonomic, although that appears unlikely given how cost-effective it’s to churn out a brick of metallic and glass. It’d strive placing slightly extra artwork into its digital camera bumps. We have the Pixel 9, OnePlus 13, and lots of different telephones as fashions — there isn’t any legislation dictating that Samsung telephones have to make use of essentially the most minimalist digital camera association doable.

Maybe the corporate may check out a number of the extra fringe manufacturers on the market, like Nothing or ASUS’ ROG lineup. One thing like (however in a roundabout way copying) the Nothing Cellphone’s glyph lighting or the ROG Phone 9’s rear LED panel may give Samsung telephones a extra distinctive aesthetic, whereas serving a sensible objective within the type of notifications. It is 2025 — if we’ll reside in a cyberpunk dystopia, it is about time our telephones look the half.

Not each change has to look on the surface. Samsung is a huge conglomerate with its personal chip manufacturing unit, and it is wonderful to me that the corporate hasn’t been in a position to give you an Exynos processor that beats Apple, Google, or Qualcomm’s in-house designs. That is simpler mentioned than achieved as die sizes get nearer and nearer to 1nm, but it would be a strategic coup, enabling noticeably extra superior AI and gaming.

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Does Samsung even have an incentive to alter course?

The height smartphone downside

It may very well be that Samsung is completely nice with the established order. Its telephones stay well-liked, particularly within the US, the place most Chinese language manufacturers aren’t allowed to compete. So long as it might probably match or beat what Apple and Google are as much as, it is going to take pleasure in a wholesome marketshare.

It might even be that, as some have identified, we have reached “peak smartphone.” In that view, there’s not a lot progress left for smartphones anyway, not less than past annual spec upgrades — they’ve change into a commodity. Within the subsequent a number of years, there’s even the potential for them being changed by sensible glasses. Samsung was one of many first corporations to announce a headset for Google’s Android XR platform, and with a number of extra years of improvement, miniaturization may put XR in one thing as compact as Meta’s Ray-Ban shades. Time will inform.

My very own sense is that Samsung is someplace in between. It does not have any explicit strain to innovate sooner, and it is out of straightforward choices, too — nobody’s going to get excited over folding or “waterfall” shows anymore. I am predicting that the S26 and S27 can be almost equivalent to one another, in need of a technical breakthrough that comes from elsewhere within the business.

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