A major telephoto camera upgrade is rumored for all the Samsung Galaxy S26 models

• Camera sensor upgrades are tipped for the Galaxy S26 series
• The S26 Ultra model may have a bigger battery inside as well
• We may see an even slimmer model replacing the Galaxy S25 Edge

We could be just a couple of months away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, and the leaks are continuing – with the latest rumor to reach our ears one that concerns a telephoto camera upgrade across all four S26 models.

This comes from Alchemist Leaks (via Notebookcheck), and it in fact covers all of the key specs of the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra (this source backs up previous whispers that the Galaxy S26 Edge has been canceled).

Most of the specs are what we were expecting, but the highlight is the inclusion of a 1/2.55-inch, 12MP telephoto camera sensor in all three phones. That's significantly larger than the 1/3.52-inch, 10MP sensor in the current Samsung Galaxy S25 handsets.

While the 3x optical zoom wouldn't change, the resulting photos would in theory be noticeably better in terms of capturing details and reducing noise. A larger sensor means more light can be captured with each photo you take.

Upgraded batteries and new models

The same tipster suggests the S26 Ultra model could get an even bigger telephoto lens, but that this is "still not confirmed". There are also references to other "updated" camera sensors across the models, without any specifics about sensor size.

Samsung executives have gone on the record as saying improved cameras are on the way with the new handsets. The slowness of upgrades in this department is something the Galaxy S series has been criticized for in the past.

Another interesting tidbit from this leak: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may get a 5,400mAh battery, up from 5,000mAh on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though according to the tipster this is a "last minute change" that is "not guaranteed".

Finally, as well as mentioning that the Galaxy S26 Edge has been canceled (matching earlier reports), the tipster says there could be a "more slimmer" model on the way to replace it – so we may get four flagship models after all.

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