Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra tipped to feature a massive periscope camera upgrade

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Even before the Galaxy S25 series went official, leaks around the Galaxy S26 series have started circulating. The latest rumour suggests Samsung is said to use a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera on the next-generation Galaxy S26 Ultra.

In Short

• Samsung is planning big upgrades for the next-generation Galaxy S26 series
• The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumoured to feature a 200-megapixel periscope lens
• The Galaxy S26 series is also rumoured to use silicon-carbon battery technology

Samsung is all set to unveil the Galaxy S25 series to the world at the Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California, on January 22, 2025. However, even before the upcoming devices have become official, rumours around the next-generation Galaxy S26 series have started popping up. Reportedly, the South Korean tech giant is planning some big upgrades, including advanced camera features and the latest battery technology.

One of the most exciting details comes from a new leak on Weibo by tipster DigitalChatStation. According to the source, Samsung is said to use a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with a 1/1.5-inch sensor. To put this into perspective, the Vivo X200 Pro already features a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with a slightly larger 1/1.4-inch sensor. If Samsung moves forward with this idea, the Galaxy S26 Ultra — possibly rebranded as the S26 Note — could see a big upgrade in zoom capabilities compared to its predecessors.

Currently, the Galaxy S24 Ultra uses a 50-megapixel periscope lens with 5x optical zoom and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra is rumoured to feature a similar setup. DigitalChatStation also hinted that three out of five flagship smartphones launching this year might feature a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera, suggesting this could be a growing trend.

Another major development is the rumoured use of silicon-carbon battery technology. Samsung is reportedly working on finally adopting silicon carbon batteries for the Galaxy S26 series. For those who don’t know, silicon carbon batteries offer higher energy density, allowing for larger capacities without increasing the device’s bulk. We have already started seeing this latest battery technology in many high-end flagship phones, such as the recently launched Vivo X200 series, OnePlus 13 and more. Even the recently launched Poco X7 Pro — a sub-Rs 30,000 smartphone — features a 6,550mAh silicon carbon battery under the hood.

Apart from the camera and battery upgrades, Samsung is also said to be exploring improvements in display technology. The Galaxy S26 Ultra might use Colour-filter-on-thin-film-encapsulation (CoE) technology, which could reduce screen thickness while enhancing light transmittance. This would likely contribute to a more immersive viewing experience along with having a relatively slimmer profile compared to current generation models.

Interestingly, Samsung’s naming conventions might also see a shake-up. Rumours suggest that the Ultra model could be renamed as the Galaxy Note, while the Plus variant might become the Galaxy Pro. If this happens, the Galaxy S26 lineup could consist of the Galaxy S26, S26 Pro, and S26 Note.