This year's standout Samsung phone will be the often-overlooked Galaxy S26.
Redaksiya reports that the official presentation of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is about a week away, and what this phone will offer is already known. Based on numerous leaks, much information has been obtained, including key innovations like the new "Privacy Display." However, the fact that the Galaxy S26, the often-overlooked member of the series, will receive the biggest and best innovations has gone unnoticed.
Although Samsung's hardware upgrades are somewhat weak this year, the best innovations from the S26 series belong to the standard S26 model. The phone's size has been slightly increased from 6.2 inches to 6.3 inches. While this is bad news for lovers of small phones, it's good for others. A larger screen means a slightly larger body, and Samsung has taken advantage of this to fit a larger battery. This is a significant upgrade from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh, and while it won't turn the S26 into a two-day smartphone, it's still a welcome change. It also shows that Samsung has learned from the failure of the S25 Edge.
Furthermore, the removal of the 128GB storage variant is welcome. 128GB is truly insufficient for a flagship phone in 2026, so everyone getting at least 256GB is a big change. There are even rumors that it will receive 25W wireless charging, which could indicate Qi2 compatibility. This contradicts claims that new Samsung phones won't get Qi2, but it would be a surprise. In any case, Samsung will provide precise information at the Galaxy Unpacked event in February, but leaks and rumors suggest this will be the case. Yes, these innovations are still modest, but they are more than the rest of the series and lay the groundwork for a potentially big upgrade for next year. The Samsung Galaxy S26 hasn't earned the "Pro" name yet, but it's close.
It was expected that Samsung would change the S series this year by altering two models. Plans to replace the S26 Plus with the S26 Edge and the S26 with the S26 Pro were canceled due to the disappointing reception of the S25 Edge. This is truly regrettable, as the new name could have brought a radical new direction for a somewhat stagnant phone brand. The smallest Galaxy S would benefit greatly from having a distinct identity. It has long been limited by descriptions like "ordinary," "standard," or "smallest." None of these are fair for the best flagship phone, and adding "Pro" could have fixed that. This year, it didn't happen, neither in name nor in actions. The upgrades needed to justify the "Pro" name should be more radical than what this year's S26 series offers. However, this puts the series in a better position to achieve some significant numerical increases next year. A bright spot in a disappointing year for the S series.
Let's face reality for a moment: although the Galaxy S26 will receive the best innovations of the S26 series this year, it won't surpass the S26 Ultra in popularity. Samsung still expects the Ultra to sell more than the other two models combined, and rightly so. However, as a big fan of the standard Galaxy S variant, I am pleased to see it taking steps in the right direction while the Plus and Ultra tread the same water. These changes won't elevate the Galaxy S26 to the status of the best-selling product by any means, and it still has a long way to go to justify the "Pro" label. For example, having a 25-watt wired charging speed on a flagship phone is terrible. However, it is important for a phone that once carried the Samsung Mobile brand on its shoulders like Atlas to have a chance to be the show's star. If you want a Galaxy S26 Plus or S26 Ultra, you can buy last year's device and get essentially the same phone. However, you cannot do that with the Galaxy S26, and therefore, it will be the Samsung Galaxy S device of choice this year.