Fresh Galaxy S26 leaks detail ultra‑thin designs, Exynos 2600 in‑house chips, a 200MP F1.4 main camera and a larger selfie cutout that directly target Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup.
A flood of Galaxy S26 leaks lands on November 19
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series isn’t due until early 2026, but this week’s leaks – including several new reports published today, November 19 – paint the clearest picture yet of Samsung’s next flagship strategy.
New articles from Indian and global outlets outline four big themes:
- All three Galaxy S26 models are tipped to be thinner and lighter than Apple’s iPhone 17 series, while still shaving grams off the Galaxy S25 generation. [1]
- Samsung is doubling down on its in‑house Exynos 2600 chip in many markets, while the Ultra model is widely rumored to stick with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. [2]
- The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s main camera is expected to reuse the 200MP HP2 sensor – but with a brighter F1.4 lens and fresh telephoto hardware for better low‑light and zoom. [3]
- A much larger front camera cutout on the S26 Ultra could change how group selfies are framed, even if the selfie hardware itself barely changes. [4]
Here’s how the latest November 19 leaks connect the dots – and what they suggest about Samsung’s 2026 flagship strategy.
Thinner, lighter, and aimed straight at the iPhone 17
The numbers: Galaxy S26 vs iPhone 17
Multiple reports today and earlier this week, all drawing on the same Ice Universe leak, agree on Samsung’s new dimensions for the S26 family: [5]
Rumored Galaxy S26 dimensions
- Galaxy S26:
- Thickness: 6.9 mm
- Weight: 164 g
- Galaxy S26+ (Plus):
- Thickness: 7.3 mm
- Weight: 191 g
- Galaxy S26 Ultra:
- Thickness: 7.9 mm
- Weight: 214 g
iPhone 17 lineup (official or well‑established figures compared in leaks)
- iPhone 17: 7.95 mm, 177 g
- iPhone 17 Pro / Plus: 8.75 mm, 204 g
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 8.75 mm, 231 g [6]
In other words, each S26 model is tipped to be thinner and noticeably lighter than the iPhone 17 variant it’s meant to compete with. One Indian report today even describes the base Galaxy S26 as a new “featherweight” flagship among premium phones. [7]
Compared with Galaxy S25: subtle diet, not a crash course
Against Samsung’s own 2025 flagships, the changes are evolutionary but still real:
- Galaxy S25 → S26: from 7.2 mm / 162 g to about 6.9 mm / 164 g
- Galaxy S25 Ultra → S26 Ultra: from 8.2 mm / 218 g to 7.9 mm / 214 g [8]
So the S26 phones aren’t dramatically smaller; they’re slightly leaner, with a few grams shaved off at the top end. That’s enough to matter in daily use (especially on the 6.8–6.9‑inch Ultra), without turning the line into ultra‑thin fashion pieces that sacrifice everything for looks.
The trade‑offs: comfort vs capacity
Even today’s leaks acknowledge a key concern: when phones get slimmer and lighter, something usually has to give – often battery size, cooling hardware, or camera module depth. [9]
So far, though, the rumor mill suggests Samsung is trying not to repeat the ultra‑thin missteps of 2025:
- Telephoto sensor upgrades are tipped across the S26 lineup, rather than downgrades. [10]
- The S26 Ultra may even get a slightly larger 5,400 mAh battery in some internal prototypes, up from 5,000 mAh in the S25 Ultra (though that change isn’t guaranteed). [11]
- Charging speeds could jump from 45W to an effective 55W system on the Ultra, with smarter power curves that actually sustain higher wattage in early charging stages. [12]
If those details survive to the final hardware, Samsung might be pulling off a tricky balance: leaner bodies without obvious cuts to battery or cameras, even if headline specs don’t leap forward.
Samsung’s big bet on in‑house Exynos chips
Exynos 2600 returns to the flagship stage
One of the most important strategic shifts behind the Galaxy S26 is happening where you can’t see it: inside the phone’s silicon.
A detailed report last month said Samsung will roll out its in‑house Exynos 2600 across the S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra in Europe and South Korea, with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips reserved for the US, Japan and China. The Exynos share is pegged at around 50% of the total S26 volume. [13]
Internal test data cited in that report claims the Exynos 2600’s GPU outperforms Apple’s A19 Pro by up to 75% and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite by up to 29% – bold numbers that, if accurate, would give Samsung rare bragging rights in graphics and AI workloads. [14]
Today’s twist: Snapdragon‑only Ultra vs mixed‑chip siblings
Newer leaks and analysis complicate that simple Exynos‑everywhere story:
- A widely read UK report now says Galaxy S26 Ultra will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 globally, while the standard S26 and S26+ switch between Exynos 2600 and Snapdragon by region. [15]
- India Today’s November 19 coverage echoes that: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for S26 Ultra, mixed chip strategy for the two smaller models. [16]
- During Samsung’s Q3 2025 earnings call, the company itself confirmed a second‑generation custom Exynos AP with next‑gen AI features for the S26 family, but stopped short of naming which models get which chip where. [17]
Put together, the most plausible reading as of today is:
- Galaxy S26 / S26+
- Exynos 2600 in Europe/Korea
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite in the US and other Snapdragon‑heavy markets
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite everywhere (with some room for last‑minute surprises)
Why this matters: margins, AI and control
For Samsung, the chip mix is about more than geek bragging rights:
- Margins & control: Using more Exynos allows Samsung to keep more profit in‑house and more tightly integrate chips with its displays, modems and AI software stack. An investor‑oriented summary of TheStreet’s piece today frames the S26 cycle as a critical test of how much profit is still left in premium phones – and how much of that comes from vertical integration. [18]
- AI as the headline feature: Samsung is openly pitching Galaxy S26 as a “next‑gen AI” device, with camera, battery and interface behavior increasingly shaped by on‑device models rather than just raw horsepower. [19]
If Exynos 2600 really is as strong as some test leaks suggest, Samsung gets a powerful bargaining chip – literally – against both Apple and Qualcomm in 2026.
Galaxy S26 Ultra camera: same 200MP sensor, brighter F1.4 lens
Today’s headline: “Old” sensor, new optics
A fresh report from India today confirms what GSMArena‑linked and social leaks have hinted at for weeks: the Galaxy S26 Ultra will keep the same 200MP ISOCELL HP2 main sensor as the S25 Ultra, but pair it with a much brighter F1.4 lens instead of F1.7. [20]
That single change has big implications:
- A wider aperture lets in more light, especially in dim scenes.
- Combined with improved processing from Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and faster RAM, it should mean cleaner night shots, less noise and shorter exposure times, according to analysts and camera‑focused coverage. [21]
One outlet today notes that this tweak could be more important than a raw megapixel jump would have been, assuming Samsung’s image pipeline actually takes advantage of it. [22]
Rumored Galaxy S26 Ultra camera hardware (rear)
Across India Today, PhoneArena and recent TechRadar reporting, the current consensus for the S26 Ultra rear system looks like this: [23]
- 200MP main camera (ISOCELL HP2), F1.4 aperture
- 50MP ultra‑wide, F1.9
- 12MP 3x telephoto, new ISOCELL S5K3LD sensor (replacing the S25 Ultra’s 10MP 3x)
- 50MP 5x periscope telephoto, with conflicting rumors around a slightly brighter aperture (some say F2.9, others keep it at F3.4)
On paper, that’s mostly the S25 Ultra camera array with smarter tweaks:
- Brighter main lens
- A higher‑resolution, potentially more capable 3x telephoto sensor
- Possible modest improvements to the 5x lens and image pipeline
Telephoto upgrades across the whole S26 lineup
It isn’t just the Ultra that benefits. A separate November leak suggests all three S26 models – S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra – will move to a larger 12MP telephoto sensor (1/2.55″), replacing the 10MP 1/3.52″ unit used across the S25 family. [24]
The zoom range (3x) wouldn’t change, but the bigger sensor could capture more light and detail, especially at dusk or indoors – precisely where many users have complained Samsung fell behind Apple and Google.
New video tricks: APV codec and AI
Camera leaks also mention a new APV professional video codec with two modes:
- APV HQ: ~1.5 GB per minute
- APV LQ: ~750 MB per minute [25]
Paired with stronger on‑device AI and faster RAM, that suggests Samsung is targeting creators who want heavier, more editable video files without plugging into a dedicated camera.
A bigger selfie hole that could change how you shoot group photos
The controversial 4mm Infinity‑O cutout
One of the most talked‑about Galaxy S26 Ultra leaks this week doesn’t involve cameras on the back, but on the front.
Android Central, citing CAD renders and Ice Universe’s posts, reports that the S26 Ultra’s front camera hole could grow to around 4mm – the largest Infinity‑O punch‑hole on any Ultra model so far. [26]
The reasoning behind the unusual move:
- The field of view is expected to widen from roughly 80° on the S25 Ultra to about 85° on the S26 Ultra, fitting more people and background into a single selfie without stretching your arm as far. [27]
- Early reports still point to a familiar 12MP selfie sensor, so the gain is mostly in framing and usability rather than raw image quality. [28]
Design trade‑offs on the front
For years, Samsung has shrunk its punch‑holes to maximize display immersion. A visibly larger cutout runs against that trend and is already proving divisive in comment sections and forums:
- Some users like the idea of more practical group selfies and less reliance on awkward ultra‑wide modes.
- Others see a bigger hole as a step backward in aesthetics, especially now that several rivals are pushing under‑display camera tech or pill‑shaped cutouts with Face ID‑style sensors.
Until real‑world samples arrive, it’s not clear whether the wider selfie FOV plus AI‑assisted portrait tools will be enough to win over skeptics.
Specs snapshot: Galaxy S26 vs iPhone 17 (what the leaks suggest)
Based on current reporting as of November 19, 2025, here’s how the Galaxy S26 lineup is shaping up against Apple’s iPhone 17 family on key points. All Samsung details are still unconfirmed and may change before launch.
Design, size and weight
- Galaxy S26: 6.9 mm, 164 g vs iPhone 17: 7.95 mm, 177 g
- Galaxy S26+: 7.3 mm, 191 g vs iPhone 17 Pro/Plus: 8.75 mm, 204 g
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 7.9 mm, 214 g vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: 8.75 mm, 231 g [29]
Samsung appears determined to own the “comfort in the hand” argument in 2026, giving all three S26 models a measurable edge in both thickness and weight.
Chipsets
- Galaxy S26 / S26+: mix of Exynos 2600 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite, depending on region
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: strongly rumored to be Snapdragon‑only
- iPhone 17 family: Apple A19 series chips across all models (Apple standard practice) [30]
Samsung’s big story here is the return of Exynos to high‑end phones in volume – and the promise that its AI and GPU performance will help close gaps with Apple and Qualcomm.
Cameras
- S26 Ultra main camera: 200MP HP2 with F1.4 lens (same sensor, brighter glass)
- S26 Ultra telephoto: 12MP 3x (new sensor), 50MP 5x periscope
- All S26 models: larger 12MP 3x telephoto sensors compared with S25 generation
- iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max: Apple is focusing on a new telephoto system and larger high‑resolution selfie camera on the Pro models, but exact sensor details differ by leak. [31]
Battery and charging
- S26 Ultra: rumored 5,400 mAh pack in some configurations and new 55W PPS charging behavior that holds higher wattage early in the charge cycle
- S25 Ultra: 5,000 mAh, 45W charging that rarely maintains its peak rate
- iPhone 17 Pro line: battery capacities not yet nailed down in public leaks, but Apple continues to rely on slower wired charging with heavy optimization around efficiency instead of wattage. [32]
Even a modest bump to sustained 55W could noticeably shorten top‑up times on the Ultra, especially around the 0–70% window where most people recharge.
What this says about Samsung’s 2026 flagship strategy
Taken together, this week’s Galaxy S26 leaks – and today’s November 19 reporting in particular – outline a clear, if conservative, playbook from Samsung:
- Win the “feel” battle vs iPhone 17.
Thinner and lighter phones across the board, without obvious sacrifices in battery and cameras, give Samsung a simple, visible marketing hook. - Quietly push in‑house silicon.
By bringing Exynos 2600 back into the flagship mix, Samsung tries to improve margins and tie its AI and camera story to hardware it fully controls – while still leaning on Qualcomm at the very high end and in critical markets. - Refine, don’t reinvent, the camera.
Keeping the 200MP HP2 but pairing it with brighter optics, better telephotos and pro‑grade video codecs suggests a “smarter, not bigger” camera strategy – and avoids the risk and cost of jumping to a dramatically larger main sensor this cycle. - Take a risk on selfie usability.
The oversized 4mm selfie cutout is the most visually polarizing change. If the wider field of view really improves group selfies and vlogging, Samsung can claim a functional win; if not, critics will see it as a step backward in design.
Should you wait for the Galaxy S26?
For buyers sitting on a Galaxy S23‑era or older phone, or on an iPhone that suddenly feels heavy next to these leaked S26 dimensions, the 2026 lineup is shaping up as a strong – if not revolutionary – upgrade path.
That said, every detail here is still based on leaks and analyst reports. Specs, chip mixes and even the selfie design could change before Samsung’s expected Unpacked event in early 2026. Until Samsung takes the wraps off, treat the Galaxy S26 story as a very detailed roadmap – not a finished spec sheet.
References
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