After dominating the premium Android scene for years, Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra line is at risk of feeling predictable. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will no doubt be powerful, but leaks suggest a familiar formula—same 45 W charging, recycled camera sensors, and minimal design evolution.
Here are five key areas Samsung needs to seriously upgrade if it wants the S26 Ultra to stand out against the likes of the OnePlus 15, OPPO Find X9 Pro, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
Faster Charging & Bigger Battery
Samsung’s 45 W cap feels ancient in 2025. Competitors like OnePlus and OPPO are achieving wired speeds of 100W+ or higher, while Samsung’s Ultra still takes nearly an hour to charge fully.
The rumored 5,000 mAh cell doesn’t help either—solid, but not class-leading. With 6,000mAh and even 7,000mAh batteries becoming commonplace, Samsung is dropping further behind year after year.
What Samsung should do:
- Adopt 65 W or faster wired charging
- Bring wireless speeds above 50 W
- Push toward 5,400–5,800 mAh using stacked-cell tech
For a phone that costs over £1,200, users deserve an actual “plug-and-go” experience, not a 2019-era charging time.
2. Camera Hardware That Feels Fresh Again
The Ultra name once meant camera dominance, but rumors suggest that the same 200 MP primary sensor and 50 MP periscope sensor will be reused as last year. Meanwhile, rivals are introducing larger glass and more advanced imaging AI.
What Samsung should do:
- Introduce a new, larger 1-inch primary sensor
- Upgrade the zoom lens to 7× or 10× optical
- Refresh the image-processing pipeline for cleaner low-light shots
Without meaningful hardware progress, the S26 Ultra risks losing its most significant bragging right.
3. Real AI Upgrades That Matter
AI was the S25’s big buzzword, but most users barely scratched the surface of Galaxy AI. Generative Edit and Chat Assist felt like demos more than game-changers.
Now that Google, Honor, and Xiaomi are deeply embedding Gemini and on-device AI experiences, Samsung needs to raise its game.
What Samsung should do:
- Integrate AI-driven photo and video modes that truly enhance results
- Enable offline translation, summarization, and voice assist
- Deliver smarter battery and performance management via AI
Galaxy AI 2.0 should feel indispensable—not just a marketing tagline.
4. One Global Chipset (No More Exynos Divide)
Nothing frustrates loyal fans more than performance inconsistency. Some markets will receive the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while others may see the Exynos 2600. Even if Exynos improves, perception lags behind.
What Samsung should do:
- Standardize on Snapdragon worldwide (or match performance 1:1)
- Prioritize thermals and sustained GPU performance for gaming
- Add stronger on-device AI acceleration
Consistency across markets would restore confidence in Samsung’s top-tier hardware.
5. Modernize the Display & Front Design
Samsung’s AMOLED panels remain among the best—but they’re no longer miles ahead. The bezels are minimal, but competitors offer 165 Hz refresh rates, higher brightness, and nearly invisible selfie cameras.
What Samsung should do:
- Boost to 165 Hz LTPO OLED (even 144Hz would be an improvement)
- Push peak brightness to 5000 nits
- Explore under-display selfie tech for a cleaner design
A bold display redesign would remind everyone why Samsung remains a leader in panel technology.
Verdict
The Galaxy S26 Ultra will still be a powerhouse—but incremental updates aren’t enough when rivals are moving this fast. Samsung needs to break the cycle of safe and boring upgrades and deliver a flagship that truly earns the Ultra name again.
If it nails charging, camera hardware, and real AI integration, the S26 Ultra could easily reclaim its crown. If not, 2026 might be the year the competition finally closes the gap and surpasses it, especially considering the competition that has already launched the Find X9 Pro and Vivo X300 Pro. Both of which offer monster batteries, class-leading cameras, and speedy charging. Looking ahead, the OnePlus 15 is set to launch globally in November, and Honor's follow-up to the Magic 7 Pro is expected to arrive in Q1 2026. It's going to be a tough market for the Galaxy S26 Ultra to stand out.
All we want is for Samsung to innovate like it used to. Remember that this is the brand that brought us the original Galaxy Note, the Galaxy Beam with a built-in projector, and, of course, the Galaxy S4 Zoom featuring a retractable zoom lens embedded on the rear panel.
If you have thoughts on other areas that Samsung needs to improve upon for the Galaxy S26 series, let us know in the comments below.
for the love of all that is holy, can we stop with the ponzi scheme pushing of “AI”. it does nothing for anyone other than BS companies that make “AI” software. AI is nothing more than fancy typeahead and has yet to produce a single viable “technology” that has done anything other than generate billions for companies that have any proven technology. please stop pushing “AI” it does absolutely nothing useful.