Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup is expected to debut early next year, comprising the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra models. Ahead of the official announcement, fresh leaks have revealed key hardware upgrades for the Galaxy S26 and S26+. Separately, major new One UI 8.5 features that may launch exclusively with the S26 series have also surfaced.
These One UI findings come from leaker who managed to activate hidden tools on a rooted device running an internal AI-enabled One UI build. The latest reports suggest Samsung is preparing deeper AI integration, enhanced lock screen customisation and upgraded photo-editing capabilities for its next-generation flagship smartphones.
So, without much ado, let’s get into everything we know from the recent leaks online.
Well-known Tipster Phone Art @UniverseIce on X (formerly Twitter) has shared comparison tables outlining the similarities and differences between the Galaxy S26 lineup and their Galaxy S25 counterparts. Both the Galaxy S26 and S26+ are expected to retain the same camera systems, RAM configurations, refresh rates, and peak brightness as the S25 series.
According to the comparison tables shared by tipster, the Galaxy S26 will reportedly feature a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, up from the 6.2-inch screen on the Galaxy S25. It is expected to maintain the same full-HD+ resolution, 2,600 nits peak brightness, and 1Hz–120Hz dynamic refresh rate.
Depending on the market, the phone may ship with either the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2600 chipset. In contrast, the Galaxy S25 used the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor globally.
Samsung is expected to offer the Galaxy S26 with 12GB RAM and will reportedly drop the 128GB base variant, offering only 256GB and 512GB storage options. The camera setup is likely unchanged, a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The front-facing camera is expected to remain a 12MP shooter.
Battery capacity is tipped to increase from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh, while charging support remains at 25W. The Galaxy S26 may also be slightly thinner at 6.9mm and weigh 164g, compared with the Galaxy S25’s 7.2mm thickness and 162g weight.
Caption – Galaxy S26+ VS Galaxy S25+ feature comparison. (Shared by @UniverseIce on X)
According to the leak, the Galaxy S26+ retains most features of the S25+, including a 6.7-inch QHD display with 2,600 nits brightness and up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Storage options also remain unchanged at 256GB and 512GB, paired with 12GB RAM.
The triple rear camera setup featuring 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom appears to be identical to the current-generation model. The selfie camera stays at 12MP.
Under the hood, the S26+ is rumoured to use either the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or the Exynos 2600, depending on region. The battery could get a slight bump to 4,900mAh with 45W fast charging. The S26+ may weigh 190g, making it lighter than the 194g Galaxy S25+, while keeping the same 7.3mm thickness.
A major part of the leaks points to new One UI 8.5 features expected to debut exclusively with the Galaxy S26 series. The details of the leak were shared on X by user That Josh Guy @thatjoshguy69, citing leaker DaManMikey @DaRealManMikey.
Caption – Screenshots of One UI 8.5 feature for Galaxy S26 series. (Image credit – @thatjoshguy69/@DaRealManMikey on X)
One of the standout additions is Now Nudges, a contextual information panel that displays timely updates on the lock screen, similar to Google’s At a Glance widget. Early previews show greetings, weather updates, and other real-time details. Hidden settings indicate more advanced capabilities such as recalling important info, autofilling forms, and generating quick actions based on on-screen content.
Another new feature is Wallpaper Live Effects, which introduces a 3D parallax effect directly within the lock screen editor. While a similar option exists in Samsung Gallery, this is the first time it appears integrated into Wallpaper and Style settings.
Samsung is also said to be working on a Creative Studio tool inside Wallpaper and Style. This feature will allow users to generate custom wallpapers using AI-assisted drawing tools, complementing the existing AI wallpaper generator.
A new Type to Edit feature may debut inside Samsung Gallery, allowing users to type commands to perform photo edits instead of manually circling objects. This tool is reportedly restricted to the Galaxy S26 lineup.
All these features were activated only on devices running the internal 20261 AI build of One UI, which is not available on any current Galaxy model. This strongly suggests Samsung is reserving them for the upcoming S26 series.
One UI 8.5 is expected to debut alongside the Galaxy S26 lineup in February 2026. Samsung is likely to roll out a public beta shortly after, beginning with Galaxy S25 users.
Answer. The Galaxy S26 may feature a larger 6.3‑inch display and a bigger 4,300mAh battery, up from 4,000mAh on the S25.
Answer. The Galaxy S26+ retains a 6.7‑inch QHD display but gets a slight battery bump to 4,900mAh with 45W fast charging, while being lighter than the S25+.
Answer. Leaks suggest Now Nudges lock‑screen info panel, 3D Wallpaper Live Effects, AI‑powered Creative Studio, and a new Type to Edit photo tool.
Answer. Both are expected to debut in February 2026, with a public beta of One UI 8.5 likely rolling out soon after for Galaxy S25 users.
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