Samsung opted for for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series after Apple instituted a major design change for its iPhone 17 lineup. And, as a result, the South Korean tech behemoth is now reportedly paying the price for its inertia, if the latest tidbits about the series' pre-order cadence are anything to go by.
According to the tipster Jason C, there is a "perceived lack of interest in the Samsung Galaxy S26 series." Also, as per the tidbit shared by @SPYGO19726, a lot of prospective customers have canceled their pre-orders for the upcoming devices, which would transform Samsung's 34-million-unit annual sales target for the series into an uphill task.
As we noted recently in a dedicated post, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to sport a number of color options, including the stunning Cobalt Violet , Black Shadow, White Shadow, and Galactic Blue. Do note that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to debut with rounded edges, a dedicated camera island featuring a triple-camera setup, an all-black color option (including the frame), a USB-C port, an S Pen, and a 5,000mAh battery (some sources have pointed to ).
However, even though it was previously rumored, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is now , which would have unlocked an entire ecosystem of MagSafe accessories.
Meanwhile, in what constitutes a new star attraction for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, Samsung is bringing its Flex Magic Pixel OLED technology to the lineup, enabling what is now being dubbed a 'Privacy Display .' Basically, the technology leverages AI to dim angular viewing angles without affecting the screen brightness for a head-on viewing experience. This would prevent anyone from snooping on your smartphone-related activities from lateral angles.
Finally, here is the camera setup on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra:
- A 12MP IMX874 selfie camera
- A 12MP ISOCELL 3LD S5K3LD 3x telephoto (possibly with a smaller, 1/3.94-inch aperture)
- A single 200MP ISOCELL HP2 main camera (possibly with a brighter f/1.5 aperture)
- A 50MP ISOCELL JN3 or Sony IMX564 ultrawide camera
- A 50MP IMX854 5x periscope camera (possibly with a wider and faster f/2.9 aperture)
Of course, Samsung has chosen to institute material price increases for the largely iterative Galaxy S26 series in what might be a nod to the DRAM-led cost pressures that are permeating the entire industry at the moment. It is hardly a surprise, therefore, that this paradigm is not sitting well with consumers.
As we noted in a dedicated post recently, the base Galaxy S26 is expected to start retailing for 1,254,000 won ($865) in South Korea, which would make it around 99,000 won ($67.60) more expensive than the base Galaxy S25. Similarly, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to start hitting the proverbial shelves at 1,797,000 won ($1,240), which again translates into a price increase of 98,600 won ($67.13) relative to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
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