The Samsung Galaxy S26 is tipped to get 2 smart camera upgrades – but the OnePlus 16 may show it up with an elite new telephoto sensor

• New camera upgrades are tipped for the Galaxy S26 series
• We've also heard about a camera boost for the OnePlus 16
• The Samsung phones will launch first, this coming week

Both the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the OnePlus 16 should be making their bows sometime this year, but if the latest rumors from those in the know are to be believed, it's the latter handset that may have the edge when it comes to the rear camera setup.

To begin with, the Galaxy S26, which we know is coming on Wednesday, February 25. According to veteran tipster Ice Universe, the three phones in the series will come with improved noise reduction for photos and videos, and a high-resolution 24MP shooting mode that brings with it "excellent clarity".

However, whether we'll get much more in terms of raw specs remains to be seen: a lot of the camera upgrades are expected to be on the software side, with megapixel ratings matching what we saw with the Galaxy S25 series, on the whole.

Still, any upgrade will be a welcome one, and the phones should be faster than ever. Samsung has set the date and time for its Galaxy Unpacked unveiling show, and we will of course be covering all the announcements live for you.

OnePlus and Oppo cameras

Moving on to the OnePlus 16, and this is a flagship phone that won't be arriving quite so soon. Given that the OnePlus 15 didn't break cover outside of China until November, we can expect its successor to appear during a similar period in 2026.

It seems as though it'll be worth waiting for though: according to tipster Gm (via Android Headlines), the handset is going to borrow the 200MP periscope telephoto lens currently in use in the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Oppo and OnePlus all being part of the same company).

This is good news – as our Oppo Find X9 Pro review will tell you, this is an excellent smartphone with an excellent rear camera system, and if the OnePlus 16 can match it then it's going to be able to hold its own against the rest of the top-tier handsets launched during the course of the next 12 months.

First, we'll have to wait and see what Samsung has been working on with the Galaxy S26 series. After that, and no doubt after a Pixel and an iPhone or two as well, we can weigh up what the OnePlus 16 has to offer.

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