Images of Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus Leaks; Series Back on Track for January Launch; Price Hikes Likely
Major leaks have surfaced regarding Samsung’s 2026 flagship lineup, confirming key design shifts for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and providing a clearer picture of the series’ launch timeline and pricing strategy.
“Edge” Model Scrapped for Classic “Plus”
Exclusive CAD renders obtained by Android Headlines confirm that Samsung has abandoned its rumoured “Galaxy S26 Edge” model. The company will instead return to the traditional Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus branding, a move reportedly prompted by the poor market performance of the experimental Galaxy S25 Edge.
The new Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus renders reveal a distinct design evolution. Unlike the “floating lens” design of recent years, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus features a vertical, pill-shaped camera island in the top-left corner. The device itself is shown with a flat 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display, uniform bezels, and flat aluminium sides, measuring approximately 158.4 x 75.7 x 7.35mm.
Launch Timeline: Delay Averted
According to a new report from Android Central, fears of a significant delay for the Galaxy S26 series appear unfounded. Sources indicate that while the late pivot from the “Edge” to the “Plus” model did cause extended hardware verification times, Samsung has successfully resolved these bottlenecks. The company is now reportedly targeting a late January 2026 reveal for its Unpacked event, with market availability expected to follow by mid-February 2026.
Chipset Strategy and Price Hikes
The reports also highlight a potential divergence in processing power across the lineup, which may drive up costs. The top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to run exclusively on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor in all regions. Meanwhile, the standard Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will likely utilise Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chip in most international regions, retaining the company’s dual-chip strategy.
Industry analysts warn that the rising costs of these next-generation components, specifically RAM and the new Snapdragon SoCs, could make a price increase “inevitable” for the 2026 series.
Additional Rumours
Other leaks suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra may feature a larger front-facing camera hole than previous models, potentially to accommodate upgraded sensor technology. The S26 Plus is also expected to support 45W wired charging and the new Qi2 wireless standard.
With the lineup now seemingly finalised as the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, Samsung appears to be betting on stability and premium performance to combat stiff competition from the upcoming iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 series.
