Berke İpekçiSamsung hasn’t exactly been pushing the envelope with its smartphone cameras lately. The last time the base Galaxy S models saw any real upgrades? Over three years ago—hardly recent. If you were expecting the Galaxy S26 to finally bring something new to the table in terms of camera hardware, you might want to temper those expectations.
According to reputable leaker Ice Universe, Samsung isn’t planning any major camera overhauls for the next couple of years. The Galaxy S26, based on the latest reports, will stick with a camera setup that’s almost identical to the S25. The reason? Samsung seems to be prioritizing thinner, lighter devices, as seen with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Unfortunately, that push for sleekness makes it tough to fit in larger, upgraded camera sensors. So, from a business perspective, don’t expect significant camera improvements until at least the Galaxy S28 series.
Here’s the deal: Samsung’s decision-making isn’t just about chasing the thinnest phone on the market. Behind the scenes, there’s real financial pressure. Reports suggest the smartphone division is tightening its belt because the chip segment, despite heavy investments, just isn’t delivering the returns. So, to keep the bottom line looking decent, they’re dialing back on camera hardware upgrades and leaning hard on AI-driven features to make the phones stand out.
If you’re considering the Galaxy S25 Ultra, just know—most of the innovation you’ll see is in the software, not necessarily in the hardware.
Samsung has different plans
Based on the latest information from industry sources, it appears Samsung doesn’t plan to introduce significant camera hardware upgrades with the Galaxy S27 Ultra. For those anticipating major improvements, expectations may need to shift toward the Galaxy S28 series instead. Of course, these are still just unconfirmed reports—Samsung’s strategy could change depending on market trends or competitive pressures.
Meanwhile, competitors are already stepping up with larger, more advanced camera sensors. Whether Samsung can maintain its position against brands like Apple and leading Chinese manufacturers through software and chipset enhancements alone is still an open question. We’ll have to see if these incremental updates are enough to keep them competitive in the ever-evolving smartphone market.
