Fresh Hands-On Look at Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra Reveals Bold Camera Design Shift

Samsung is usually tight-lipped about what we can anticipate from their future flagship phones, but new leaks give us with a preview of what to expect. Tipster OnLeaks has just released a short video and side-by-side comparison images of the purported Galaxy S26 Ultra that is as close to a production model as we’ve seen thus far.

Dummy units are non-functional test models that phone accessory companies use to create cases and test early prototypes. The ones we’re seeing here are just like any other dummy unit: non-functional phones that have been painted in a couple of colors (white and black in this case) to offer us a clear view of every angle. Take a look and you’ll see that the Galaxy S26 Ultra looks pretty much the same as the S25 Ultra, right down to the rounded corners that make it much easier to hold onto for long amounts of time

One difference that is instantly obvious is how Samsung has modified the back panel on the latest model. The discrete ring cuts for each lens have been replaced by a new design in which three of the main cameras sit on a raised “island” that protrudes slightly from the rest of the phone. They appear to have taken inspiration from the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which has a similar stepped design.

This move was most likely made to give the engineers additional room within the phone to work with while keeping it slim. According to reports, the phone measures 7.9mm without the camera hump, a modest reduction from the previous model’s 8.2mm. That slight bulge also makes room for all of the required components and prevents the phone from being too bulky to handle in your palm.

The island where all of the cameras sit remains on the left side, as it has on previous models. This is likely what most people will notice when they place the phone on a table to use. Because the little “bump” on the right causes the phone to bounce somewhat when placed flat on a hard surface, which can produce a tapping sound. If you prefer not to use a case, this will most likely be an issue, particularly when typing or watching a video.

Of course, putting a thin case on the phone may probably solve the problem, but you’ll lose some of the overall slenderness that the new design was attempting to achieve. Thick cases, on the other hand, will likely solve this problem, but you will lose some of the slenderness that the new design aimed for

As for when we may expect to see the new S26 series, it looks like they’ll be available in February. The S26 series was supposed to come out in January, but they had to postpone it to resolve some supply chain concerns as well as due to a few last-minute changes on the handset itself.
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