Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: My concerns as a longtime Galaxy user

Early rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are raising red flags for veteran Galaxy users. According to a ZDNET analysis by contributing writer Prakhar Khanna, leaked specs from sources like ETNews suggest Samsung's 2026 flagship may deliver only incremental changes, particularly in two critical areas: camera hardware and physical design. The report highlights a specific concern that the S26 Ultra could retain the same 10MP sensor for its 3x telephoto camera, a component that has seen little upgrade for multiple generations and was already outperformed by competitors like Apple's 4x telephoto in 2025. This stagnation comes despite an otherwise capable rumored camera suite including a 200MP primary sensor and a 50MP 5x telephoto.

The second major point of contention is ergonomics. While the Galaxy S25 Ultra achieved a lighter weight of 218 grams, its sharp, boxy design made it notoriously difficult and uncomfortable to use daily—a problem the S26 Ultra might inherit. Khanna argues that on-paper specs like weight can be misleading if the physical form factor is poorly conceived, rendering the device cumbersome regardless of its mass. This design philosophy stands in contrast to the ergonomic improvements seen from other manufacturers.

For professionals and power users, these rumored omissions signal a potential lack of innovation from Samsung in a highly competitive market. If the leaks hold true, the S26 Ultra risks falling further behind Apple in videography and behind Chinese OEMs in portrait and computational photography, forcing users to seek alternatives or rely on software workarounds like cropping from the 200MP mode instead of using optical zoom. The analysis serves as a cautionary preview ahead of Samsung's expected Unpacked event, emphasizing that spec bumps alone may not suffice to maintain flagship dominance.