The Galaxy S25 Ultra. | Image Credit – PhoneArena
Samsung’s next flagship trio, which is supposedly going to consist of a Galaxy S26 Pro, a super-slim Galaxy S26 Edge, and the ultimate Galaxy S26 Ultra, is still a couple of months away, but people have been talking. Usually, Samsung unveils its new Galaxy S phones at the beginning of the year.
If Samsung sticks to tradition, we can expect the new phones to be unveiled in January 2026. There have been some interesting rumors about a potential December unveiling, but those are more unlikely than those of Samsung sticking with January.
Galaxy S26 launch timeline: important dates
Usually, Galaxy events are held on a Wednesday. However, Samsung hasn’t been entirely consistent with the exact week that things are happening, and in the last few years, the company has been pulling the event earlier and earlier at the beginning of the year.
Potentially, we have January 14, 2026, and January 21, 2026, which are both Wednesdays in the middle of the month of January. Some rumors indicate that Samsung may attempt a December event, but we’ll address these later.
When the phones get announced, we usually have a couple of weeks of pre-orders and then an official market release.
Galaxy S26 potential dates compared to previous years
Here’s how the Galaxy S releases have happened in recent years, which should also give us an idea of when to expect the new Galaxy S26 series to come:
Device family
AnnouncementMarket release
Galaxy S26 seriesJanuary 14 or January 21, 2026*February 2026*Galaxy S25 seriesJanuary 22, 2025February 7, 2025Galaxy S24 seriesJanuary 17, 2024January 31, 2024Galaxy S23 seriesFebruary 1, 2023February 17, 2023Galaxy S22 seriesFebruary 9, 2022February 25, 2022Galaxy S21 seriesJanuary 14, 2021January 29, 2021Galaxy S20 series February 11, 2020March 6, 2020 in the US, March 13 in Europe
*Speculated dates based on previous Galaxy S release schedules and on a Wednesday
What about the December rumor?
This December rumor came from leaker Digital Chat Station, who speculated earlier in the year that Samsung may move the Galaxy S26 release earlier so that the company can better compete with the iPhone 17 lineup.
However, since that post by the leaker, no other reputable leakers have corroborated it, and that was back in April. So, the possibility of Samsung doing an even earlier release than usual is now almost off the table.Of course, since Samsung has not officially given any dates just yet, there’s always the chance of surprises, but at this point, a December release is highly doubtful.
Will all the Galaxy S26 models launch at the same time?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra may have a different, but not new, look, judging by this leaked render. | Image Credit – SmartPrix
This year, Samsung released the super-slim Galaxy S25 Edge separately from the other phones of the trio, which were the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, rumor has it that Samsung is going to reshape its Galaxy S lineup entirely.
Reportedly, the company would ditch the Plus model and replace it with an Edge model (somewhat similar to what Apple did with the iPhone Air). The ‘vanilla’ Galaxy S26 is said to turn into a Galaxy S26 Pro. The Ultra is the only model that is said to keep its original name.
Based on that, it’s likely that next year, Samsung will release the Edge model together with the Galaxy S26 Pro and Ultra.
What does this mean for you?
If you’re thinking of upgrading to one of the models in the Galaxy S series, this pretty much means you’ll have to wait for a few months before you can get your hands on one of them. A potential January announcement is still four months away, so it’s not exactly just around the corner.
Rumors indicate Samsung may redesign the Galaxy S series significantly next year, although lots of leaks also indicate some elements will remain the same (unfortunately, the hope about improved charging or battery sizes seems less likely now).
In the coming months, we expect even more leakers to come forward with information on the Galaxy S series that should further help you determine whether these phones are worth the wait.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master’s degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She’s also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it’s walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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