In recent years, the Galaxy S Ultra devices have been fighting for the throne of the best camera phone. While Samsung goes all out for the Ultra models, we can’t say the same for the vanilla and Plus models. Now, a new report claims that Samsung will keep the conservative line regarding camera improvements on the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S26.
In 2022, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ got a new main camera sensor as one of their biggest improvements. The 50MP sensor has a decent 1/1.56″ size and native 1µm pixels. Since then, all vanilla and Plus models, including the latest Galaxy S24 and S24+, have used the same main camera. Considering how long it’s been, it seemed like it was time for a significant upgrade. But it seems Samsung doesn’t think so, at least in the short term.
Non-Ultra Galaxy S25 and S26 may use the same main camera as the Galaxy S22
According to tipster Ice Universe, Samsung will use the current Galaxy S24 main camera sensor on the upcoming Galaxy S25 and S26. So, any improvement in image quality will be software-driven. This is a shame, as a better, larger sensor would enable more data capture for better photos in a wider range of lighting conditions. If the leak is real, fans of the series will have to wait until at least 2027 for a main camera sensor upgrade. This does not rule out the potential implementation of better-quality ultrawide or telephoto sensors on the Galaxy S25 and S26 series, though.
Samsung might be resting on its laurels too much compared to its rivals. Perhaps the company wants the Galaxy S Ultra devices to stand out in the market with moves like these. However, the vanilla and Plus Galaxy S models also have a loyal legion of fans who deserve some love. Even Google, known for conservatism when it comes to camera hardware upgrades, has used larger main camera sensors than non-Ultra Samsung flagships since the Pixel 6 series in 2021.
