Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Samsung’s next big launch, Galaxy S26 Ultra, has not been officially announced yet, but leaks and rumours have already created a lot of excitement in the tech world. The launch of this phone is expected in January 2026, and it can come to India by mid-January. Just like Samsung’s flagship series comes every year, the same schedule is expected this time too. And if everything goes well, it can also start selling in the market from February 2026.

India Price and Variants Estimate

The Galaxy S Ultra series has always been a part of the premium segment. This time too, the price of the base variant of S26 Ultra is estimated to start from around ₹1,59,990. If you want 512GB or 1TB storage, then consider an extra cost of ₹10,000-₹20,000 on each tier. This phone will be for those people who want a full flagship experience without any compromise.

New innovation in design and build quality

Talking about the design, S26 Ultra is going to come with the same overall look as its previous version, but there can be a little minimal design in the rear panel. In place of the camera rings, we can see a more integrated and clean camera housing. The bezels can be thinner which will further improve the screen and body ratio. A premium titanium frame is also expected, which will give strength to the phone. And yes, the thickness can also be a bit less – according to some leaks, this phone can be less than just 8mm. The S Pen is the signature feature of the Ultra model, which is also expected this time.

Best upgrade in display

Some interesting leaks have also come on the front of the display. This phone can have a 6.89-inch OLED display which will support QHD+ resolution and 120Hz or maybe 144Hz refresh rate. The brightness will also be flagship level – more than 2600 nits. A new version of Gorilla Glass is also expected to be used which will make the durability even stronger.

Game change in camera department

The biggest change in the camera can be that Samsung may leave its ISOCELL sensor and use Sony’s 200MP sensor. This sensor is big in size (1/1.1-inch) which will show amazing in low light photography. The ultra-wide camera could be 50MP and there could also be a 50MP periscope telephoto lens that can provide 5x optical zoom. There could be another 12MP telephoto sensor for 3x zoom. There is talk of having a 12MP or even 50MP sensor for selfies. Samsung’s AI-based ProVisual Engine is also going to get further improvements, which will take the image quality to a new level.

Support is also impressive

The S26 Ultra is expected to have a Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor, which will be specially optimized for Galaxy devices. This chipset will be built on TSMC’s 3nm process, which will bring tremendous improvements in both performance and battery efficiency. Talking about RAM, you can get up to 16GB (it is possible that every variant will have 16GB). Storage options include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB with UFS 4.0 tech.

The cooling system can also be upgraded to a 1.2x larger vapor chamber, which should keep the phone cool while gaming or multitasking. There is some confusion about the battery – some leaks say it will be 5000mAh, while some sources indicate 5500mAh. Charging speed can be 60W, up from 45W. Wireless charging is expected to be at 15W.

Software and Updates

The S26 Ultra will launch with Android 16, and will get Samsung’s One UI 8.5 or higher version. And the biggest thing – Samsung has promised to provide OS and security updates for 7 years, so this phone is a safe investment for the future.

What will happen next?

It is August now and no official update has come from Samsung, but more leaks, certifications and benchmarks will keep coming till October-November. Till the launch does not happen in January 2026, the excitement will keep increasing. But from all the leaks that have come so far, one thing is clear – Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is once again going to set a new benchmark in the flagship market!