With February 25, 2026, fast approaching, the rumour mill for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series has moved from speculation to high-definition leaks. While the expected trio—the standard S26, S26+, and the range-topping S26 Ultra—is almost certainly arriving, latest developments have introduced a significant twist regarding one of the series’ most anticipated features.
The Design: Ergonomics Over Edges
Samsung appears to be listening to long-standing complaints about the “boxy” feel of its largest flagship. Leaked promotional materials and renders show a Galaxy S26 Ultra that has finally traded its sharp, 90-degree corners for a more ergonomic, rounded frame. This change, while subtle in photos, should significantly improve one-handed use for its massive 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED panel.
The standard Galaxy S26 is also rumoured to see a slight bump in screen size to 6.3 inches, though it remains the “compact” choice, reportedly weighing in at an incredibly light 137 grams. Both the S26 and S26+ are expected to follow a similar design language to previous years, but with a new integrated camera island that might finally solve the dust-trap issues of the individual lens cutouts.
The Qi2 Conundrum: Magnets or Just Cases?
One of the biggest rumors circulating today involves the Qi2 wireless charging standard. While early leaks strongly suggested that Samsung would follow Apple and Google’s lead by integrating magnets directly into the phone’s chassis, a new batch of leaked official accessories has cast doubt on this.
Images of official Samsung clear cases have surfaced in two varieties: one with a magnetic ring and one without. In the world of tech leaks, the existence of a non-magnetic official case for a “magnetic” phone is a red flag. It suggests that Samsung might once again skip native magnets, relying instead on specialized cases to provide magnetic alignment. This would be a disappointment for those hoping to use MagSafe-style accessories directly on the device, though the standard is still expected to support faster 25W wireless charging when paired with the right gear.
Functional Privacy: A New Hardware Feature
A recurring theme in recent leaks is “Functional Privacy.” Samsung is reportedly debuting a hardware-integrated Privacy Display, likely exclusive to the Ultra’s M14 OLED panel. This feature allows users to narrow the screen’s viewing angles at the touch of a button, preventing onlookers from seeing sensitive data. In an era where digital security is a major selling point, this could be the S26 Ultra’s “killer feature” for business users and privacy-conscious consumers alike.
The feature has recently been teased by Samsung in the company’s latest social campaign.
The Silicon Lottery: Snapdragon vs. Exynos
As is often the case for the Malaysian market, the chipset situation remains a point of high interest. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is widely expected to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 globally. However, for the standard S26 and S26+, rumors point to the return of Exynos in many regions, including ours.
The Exynos 2600 is tipped to be Samsung’s first 2nm-class chip. While “Exynos” sometimes carries a stigma among power users, early benchmarks suggest this new architecture could be a significant leap in efficiency, potentially offering GPU performance that finally rivals its Snapdragon counterpart.
Expected Specs
| Feature | Galaxy S26 | Galaxy S26+ | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Display Size | 6.3″ FHD+ AMOLED | 6.7″ QHD+ AMOLED | 6.9″ QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (M14) |
| Refresh Rate | 1-120Hz LTPO | 1-120Hz LTPO | 1-120Hz LTPO |
| Privacy Display | Software-only | Software-only | Hardware-Level (Flex Magic) |
| Processor (Global) | Exynos 2600 (Likely) | Exynos 2600 (Likely) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB (LPDDR5X) |
| Storage Base | 256GB (No 128GB) | 256GB | 256GB |
| Rear Main Camera | 50MP | 50MP | 200MP (ISOCELL HP2 Enhanced) |
| Ultrawide | 12MP | 12MP | 50MP |
| Telephoto | 10MP (3x) | 10MP (3x) | 10MP (3x) + 50MP (5x Periscope) |
| Battery | 4,300 mAh | 4,900 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging | 25W Wired | 45W Wired | 60W Wired / Qi2 Wireless |
| Dimensions | 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm | 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9mm |
| Special Features | Satellite SOS | Satellite SOS, UWB | S Pen, Privacy Display, Satellite SOS |
Camera and Battery Specs
The imaging hardware seems to be a story of refinement. The S26 and S26+ are expected to stick with the 50MP main sensor setup, while the Ultra continues to lead with its 200MP primary snapper. The real upgrade for the Ultra might be the periscope lens, which is rumored to move to a 50MP sensor, providing much higher detail for intermediate zoom ranges.
Battery capacities are also seeing minor bumps across the board. The vanilla Galaxy S26 is slated to get a 4,300mAh battery, while the S26+ and S26 ultra will apparently come with 4,900mAh and 5,000mAh batteries, respectively. Rumours also point to Samsung continuing with a Lithium-based battery instead of making the jump to a Silicon-based one, like many Chinese brands. That said, it seems like Samsung is looking to give the Ultra a bump to its wireless charging capabilities to 60W from the current 45W cap on the S23 Ultra, S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra.
Pricing and Changes in Offerings
With the rumored removal of the 128GB storage tier, the 256GB model is expected to become the new entry point. While global prices in USD are pegged at approximately $800 (RM3,380) for the S26 and $1,300 (RM5,490) for the Ultra, Malaysian retail prices usually account for local taxes and logistics.
We expect the lineup to start around RM3,999 for the Galaxy S26, RM4,999 for the S26+, and RM6,199 for the S26 Ultra. Samsung will likely offer aggressive pre-order bundles, potentially including the new Galaxy Buds 8 or magnetic charging accessories, to soften the blow of these prices.
With the official Unpacked event expected on February 25, 2026, we don’t have much longer to wait to see which of these rumors hold water.
