Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series keeps appearing in various leaks, raising questions about whether the Galaxy S26 Edge will happen and how much of the iPhone 17 Pro aesthetics will be borrowed. What seems clear is that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will launch with redesigned cameras on the back, which take cues from the Galaxy S26 Edge and Galaxy Z Fold 7 design.
New images of Galaxy S26 Ultra in a case show the changes to its camera
We’ve seen various leaks and renders of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but in the latest leak, the device is inside a case. An image shared by @TarunVats on X shows the back of the device and the new design of the back cameras of Samsung’s top-tier flagship.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra in a case. | Image Credit – TarunVats on X
As we’ve seen before, the device will have flat sides and rounded corners. Three of the cameras on the back will be on top of an isolated island, while the right-hand side of the device will house the power button and the volume rockers.
We’ve seen this design before
The possible Galaxy S26 Ultra colors. | Image Credit – Ice Universe
While new for Samsung’s Ultra flagships, that camera design is nothing new for the company. We first saw the unified camera island on lower-end devices, but the Galaxy S25 Edge and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 introduced it to the company’s higher-end phones. Apparently, Samsung wants to make Galaxy S26 Ultra look like its other devices.Apple had a different approach with the iPhone 17 series. The vanilla iPhone 17 has a camera bump housing just its two cameras, while the iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air have the company’s “camera plateau.”
Similar to Samsung’s new approach, Google is also utilizing the same camera bump on most of its devices. The only Pixel 10 device that doesn’t feature the company’s camera bar is the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
Not the upgrade you’d imagine
It may be just me, but when looking at the leaked Galaxy S26 Ultra images, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m looking at a lower-end Samsung device. The individual camera islands from before were so distinctly Ultra that I may need some time before accepting the new design.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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