The new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra flagship may be coming soon, according to rumors, and my 14 years of experience as a CNET reviewer means I know what the company has to do to make it its best phone.
I’ve tested all generations of the Samsung Ultra range, including taking thousands of photos and playing hours of games. Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two about why these phones exist with competitors from Apple and Google. But I have also learned where they can be improved.
Throughout that time, I’ve watched Samsung remain the dominant phone maker, consistently outselling its top competitors. But that doesn’t mean Samsung can rest on its laurels. I’ve also tested amazing phones from companies like Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei that are more innovative and better than what Samsung did with its Galaxy S-line. And it’s time for Samsung to show us all it can do.
The S25 Ultra is not an upgrade over the S24 Ultra. They even look very similar.
So with the Galaxy S26 Ultra almost upon us, here’s what I want to see in Samsung’s next big phone.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s cameras require larger sensors
Samsung Ultra phones have always been at the top when it comes to photography. Its Galaxy S phones were very successful with night shots, and it was among the first companies to really drive us crazy with telephoto zoom. But the camera hardware hasn’t changed much over the past few generations of Ultra phones, and it feels like it’s time to grow up.
Xiaomi’s 14 Ultra blew me away with its photography capabilities, thanks to its 1-inch type image sensor, which is much larger than the sensors you’ll find on almost any other phone camera. A larger image sensor can capture more light, in theory allowing for better dynamic range and more detail without relying heavily on software image processing.
Taken on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and lightly edited in Adobe Lightroom, I love how the phone captures natural-looking images that retain deep shadows rather than trying to create an overly fake HDR look. It’s one of the few phones that I think can compete with mirrorless cameras.
I love the photos I’ve taken with the latest Xiaomi phones, and I want to see Samsung create a camera that’s really designed for professional photographers like me. Sure, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s zoom is great, and the extra resolution added to the ultrawide is nice to see. But throw in the S26 Ultra’s large main camera sensor and let me capture brilliant photos that look like they were taken with a mirrorless camera, and yes, you’re going to have a winner there, Samsung.
It would also help the S26 Ultra differentiate itself from the S25 Edge and Z Fold 7, both of which have the current S25 Ultra’s main camera. And since Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra is shaping up to be a complete photography powerhouse, it would be wise for Samsung to push the boat out here.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs some photo filtering options
Samsung cameras already have a variety of filters that adjust the color tone and exposure of your photos. They work well enough and are similar to Apple’s Photo Styles in that you can customize the look of each filter again change those settings even after you’ve taken the picture.
You can also create your own preset based on tones from a different image source, which works GREAT. What you can’t do is share your presets for other photographers to use, and I think Samsung is missing a trick here. There’s a small store on the side where you can download a handful of additional presets, but if Samsung gave Galaxy owners the ability to share their custom settings there for others to download, it would help build a community of keen photographers who would want to continue using Samsung camera phones.
Samsung’s My Filter tool allowed me to create this Wes Anderson-inspired photo setting. I would love to be able to share this with other photographers, and use the color filters created by the passionate photography community.
Fujifilm has had similar success with its cameras, allowing photographers to create ‘recipes’ that other photographers can simply put into their camera and immediately start taking pictures using exactly the film style that caught their eye. As a result, Fujifilm has a large, passionate fanbase that will make you feel at ease how good Fujifilm cameras are because of the look you can get when you use them. Samsung has the opportunity to create something similar for mobile phones.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs a smaller size option
The S25 Ultra may be an absolute powerhouse, but it’s also pretty big. At 6.9 inches, it takes thumbs the size of redwoods to type with one hand and trying to squeeze it into skinny jeans means carrying an embarrassing bump…
And despite the fact that I’m 6-foot-2, I actually have small hands, so I’ve always preferred small phones. I use an iPhone 17 Pro, not 17 Pro Max, as I much prefer the 6.3-inch screen to the gargantuan 6.9 inches on the Max. But unlike Apple, Samsung has always offered its best technology in just one size, forcing you to choose between pocketability and performance.
I love my iPhone 17 Pro. It fits in my hand. My small, small hands.
I’d like to see Samsung take a cue from Apple here and include the processor and camera capabilities that make the Ultra series what it is in a manageable size. I’d also be happy to see the S Pen run this — I’ve never used it anyway.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs more colors
While we’re talking about design options, I’d like to see some fun colors in the Ultra line. Samsung briefly flirted with orange on the S22 Ultra, but its color range has since been largely muted. OK, sure, the S25 Ultra comes in more colors than just black or silver, but they’re subtle colors that, if I’m feeling generous, could be described as high-end, and if I’m not feeling generous, then boring.
I love the Cosmic orange color of the iPhone 17 Pro. I love that it never takes itself too seriously, and why should it? Phones are fun accessories, and I don’t need a neutral gray tone to match my business suit. I’m old enough to remember the Motorola Razr V3, which came in hot pink, and I’ll be honest, I absolutely loved it. My best friend Charlie had one, and I was so jealous. The current Motorola Razr Ultra not only comes in pink but also uses fabric on the back to make it more comfortable to hold and help it stand out from the glass and aluminum crowd.
Just look at that hot pink Motorola Razr V3. What an absolute beauty.
If Samsung takes that shiny metallic pink and slaps it on the S26 Ultra, I’ll be forced to throw my credit card at them to get it.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs a bigger battery and faster charging
The Galaxy S25 Ultra packs a 5,000-mAh battery with 45-watt fast charging. Which are the same features that the S22 Ultra had when it was launched four years ago. Battery technology has come a long way in the last four years, and we’re seeing phones now using new silicon-carbon technology for energy-dense cells. again phones with 100-watt fast charging.
Some of the fastest phones come from China, and many aren’t available in the US, but the OnePlus 15 offers 80-watt wired charging, and its 7,300-mAh battery impressed us the most in the full review.
The S25 Ultra’s battery was pretty good when we tested it, but with new battery technology being used in rival phones, it’s time for Samsung to give its Ultra series a bit of a refresh here.
The OnePlus 15 battery is not only big, it charges fast too.
Galaxy S26 Ultra price
I’m asking a lot for this article, and I know that if I had my way at everything, the phone would have to see a significant price increase. While the S25 Ultra was launched at the same price as its predecessor, I don’t expect that to be the case this time around.
Between economic fluctuations, pricing and the ongoing RAM shortage, which makes parts more expensive, the S26 Ultra will likely come with a hefty price tag — or see some cuts to keep costs down.
But I hope that Samsung will be able to keep this small and not use market changes as an opportunity to increase the price to the point where having the latest technology is out of reach for anyone who does not have the title “Oil baron” on their business card.
