Latest news with #UniverseIce


Phone Arena
11 hours ago
- Phone Arena
New Galaxy S26 Ultra leaks include promising charging info and conflicting battery sizes
Are you excited about next year's Galaxy S26 Ultra yet? If not, a slew of new social media rumors is likely to considerably boost your enthusiasm for Samsung's already highly anticipated S25 Ultra sequel, then reduce your excitement, then build it back up again. That's obviously all because we are talking about a product unlikely to come out in the next five months, which makes it difficult to know exactly what is etched in stone, what's an educated guess from a generally well-connected insider, and what's merely wishful thinking on the part of the same pundits and leakers. Now that sounds like a potentially winning formula for a high-end Samsung handset in 2026, but while one of those numbers is definitely a safe bet after @UniverseIce and @chunvn8888's latest X posts, the other basically has a 50-50 chance of materializing. Yes, the S26 Ultra is extremely likely to upgrade its predecessor's 45W charging capabilities to 65W, but while one typically reliable X tipster also expects the S25 Ultra's 5,000mAh battery size to jump to 5,500mAh, the other doesn't think that number is going to change. The S26 Ultra may or may not upgrade the battery capacity of the ancient S20 Ultra. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena I honestly don't know who to believe here, but as much as I'd like to put my trust in the 5,500mAh prediction, the unchanged 5,000mAh cell capacity has been mentioned by another generally rock-solid source before, so realistically speaking, that's probably the (slightly) more plausible scenario right now. Would it be disappointing to see Samsung stick with a 5,000mAh battery for the seventh (!!!) Galaxy S Ultra generation in a row? Clearly, especially when you've already got the likes of the OnePlus 13 packing a 6,000mAh cell and the OnePlus 15 expected to break the 7,000mAh (!!!) barrier soon. The OnePlus 13 also comes with blazing fast 100W charging support (which the OnePlus 15 will either retain or improve even further), making the S26 Ultra 's possible upgrade to 65W speeds sound... unremarkable at best. Still, at least Samsung is looking to boost one number that's been a thing for Galaxy S Ultra flagships for several years, thus making slow but clear progress towards (eventually) catching up to some of its top China-based rivals. For Samsung, that is, as the Galaxy S26 Ultra has already been rumored a few different times to come with a reduced waist compared to the 8.2mm S25 Ultra. I still don't have an exact number for you in that department, but one can reasonably assume that a sub-8mm profile, for instance, would make it essentially impossible to go over the 5,000mAh battery mark. Unless, of course, Samsung is planning to put groundbreaking new silicon-carbon battery technology on the entire S26 family instead of just the Galaxy S26 Edge model, which seems unlikely. The S26 Ultra is now widely expected to rock a slimmer profile than the S25 Ultra. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena Silicon-carbon battery material, remember, allows for capacity numbers to be easily improved without the cell actually occupying any extra physical space, the downside being potentially faster and more drastic long-term degradation. That's a risk Samsung might be willing to take for the sequel to the reportedly unpopular Galaxy S25 Edge , but most likely not for the S25 Ultra's follow-up and I'm guessing not for the "base" Galaxy S26 version either. At the end of the day, there's obviously nothing wrong with a slim Galaxy S26 Ultra , but if Samsung does indeed have no plans to beef up the battery size beyond 5,000mAh, some big upgrades on the camera front and in other key departments may be needed to, well, justify the phone's existence in the first place.


Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Samsung could pull off the impossible with next year's Galaxy S26 Edge
Despite reportedly not selling very well around the world (at least ahead of a massive recent wave of super-hefty discounts), the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge is all but guaranteed to get a sequel at some point in 2026. The Galaxy S26 Edge could be released a lot earlier in the year than its forerunner and face additional public scrutiny as a "main" member of Samsung's next big high-end handset family alongside a "standard" S26 model and a top-of-the-line S26 Ultra . This is something that's been rumored for a little while now, and the key strengths and selling points of Samsung's Galaxy S25 Plus replacement are purportedly "confirmed" today by one of the most reliable social media leakers out there. According to @UniverseIce, aka Ice Universe, aka PhoneArt, the S26 Edge will somehow be thinner than this year's S25 Edge while also bumping up the battery capacity. The mediocre battery life, mind you, was (predictably) highlighted in our in-depth Galaxy S25 Edge review as the phone's biggest weakness, so it's definitely nice to hear that Samsung is planning to increase the modest 3,900mAh cell capacity. If Samsung pulls off a thinner phone than this with a 4,000mAh+ battery, my mind will be blown. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena Of course, it's not entirely clear how something like that would be possible if the already insanely thin 5.8mm profile is set to go down, although "PhoneArt" is offering us a precious (albeit vague) little hint. The Galaxy S26 Edge will apparently use "new battery material technology" of some sort to achieve what seemed impossible just a few short months ago. This can only be silicon-carbon (Si/C), which is the same material that has allowed the OnePlus 13, for instance, to squeeze a 6,000mAh cell into a sub-9mm profile, not to mention the absolutely bonkers new 6.32-inch OnePlus 13T with a 6,260mAh battery under the hood. The problem with Si/C tech is battery degradation, which can be drastically faster and more severe than in the case of traditional lithium-ion cells used by devices like the Galaxy S25, S25 Edge , S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra. It remains to be seen if Samsung will ultimately decide that the advantages of switching to new battery technology outweigh the risks, and of course, I'm sure we're all dying to find out exactly how much the S26 Edge will improve cell capacity and reduce thickness. If that's the case, the compact S26 is likely to keep the 6.2-inch S25's 4,000mAh cell capacity more or less unchanged, which means that Samsung could embrace the groundbreaking aforementioned silicon-carbon battery material for only one member of the super-premium 2026 smartphone family as a small-scale experiment potentially leading to something bigger in 2027. It's premature to have any guarantees, but the S26 Ultra could look a lot like the S25 Ultra. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena


Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
Finally! The Galaxy S26 Ultra could get a long-overdue charging speed upgrade
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A new leak suggests the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might support faster-than-45W charging, making it the fastest charging Samsung smartphone ever. Samsung flagships have maxed out at 45W USB PD PPS since 2019, while rivals have progressed to significantly quicker charging speeds but often with proprietary solutions. Samsung hasn't officially confirmed any specifications for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung is basking in the glory of higher demand for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 lineup, but the company is also preparing for its next flagship, the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to be released in early 2026. We've heard a fair few leaks about the lineup already, with most of them pointing towards a modest upgrade as is tradition for Samsung. However, the latest leak suggests faster charging could finally (finalllllyyy!) be coming to the Galaxy S flagship lineup, and I am very excited for this to pan out. As per a leak from Universe Ice on X, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could finally get more than 45W fast charging, high enough to claim that it would be the fastest charging speed in Samsung's history. Although the leaker says it is '100% confirmed,' it is not. Samsung hasn't confirmed this spec upgrade, and the company usually doesn't discuss its upcoming flagship phones this early. So this is still a leak for all purposes, and you should still take it with a pinch of salt. The leaker has previously indicated that faster charging is coming to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and now we get a slightly better idea of what could be in store. Samsung currently offers 45W 'Super Fast Charging 2.0' on several flagships, but this charging protocol has existed since the Galaxy Note 10 Plus launched in 2019. Samsung hasn't explored charging faster than this protocol, while Chinese smartphone OEMs have gone as high as 240W, though most have settled on 65W-120W (often proprietary) charging for their mainstream devices. Samsung's 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 requires a 45W USB PD PPS charger and a 5A USB cable to work on compatible phones. It would be amazing if the Galaxy S26 Ultra got 65W USB PD PPS charging, as that would be the perfect sweet spot for broad compatibility and fast charging for its purported 5,000mAh battery. However, the company could opt for proprietary charging, which would be a big disappointment as Samsung phones usually don't ship with a charger, and you'd have to buy a new one separately to make the most of your expensive phone. We'll have to wait and see how the Galaxy S26 Ultra's fast charging situation develops. Nevertheless, I am excited to finally get faster charging on Samsung's premier flagship. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.


Phone Arena
7 days ago
- Phone Arena
Honor defends its "slimmest foldable" claim against Galaxy Z Fold 7
Honor Magic V5. | Image credit — Honor Honor is standing by its claim that the Magic V5 is "the world's slimmest foldable," but a new comparison with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 suggests the title might be up for debate. In a side-by-side video shared by reliable leaker @UniverseIce, the Honor Magic V5 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 appear nearly identical in thickness. But when a flat card is placed across both phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 seems just slightly thinner — even allowing a small ball to roll down toward the Honor device, suggesting a minor slope. While this might seem trivial, the details matter. Honor claims the Magic V5 is 8.8mm thick when folded, specifically in the Ivory White variant. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 is listed at 8.9mm. So how can the Z Fold 7 appear thinner in a visual comparison? I compared the thickness of all the latest large foldable phones I have—Xiaomi MIX Fold4, OPPO Find N5, vivo X Fold5, Honor Magic V5, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7—using universal gravitation. Which one is the thinnest? Someone's lying. — PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) July 15, 2025 Honor has since responded to the growing skepticism. The company reiterated that its 8.8mm measurement comes from internal lab testing and excludes screen protectors and the raised camera module. According to Honor, this is in line with "standard measurement practices across the industry." The company added that viewers should "refer to the actual device for accurate assessment" — a statement seemingly at odds with the real-world comparison footage that sparked the discussion. It's not the first time these kinds of measurement disputes have surfaced in the foldable category. Manufacturers often publish spec sheet dimensions under ideal or selective conditions. For example, Honor's own website includes a disclaimer noting that thickness may vary depending on configurations, protective layers, and measurement complicate things further, another video comparison showed that the Magic V5 more closely resembles the Oppo Find N5 in profile, rather than out-slimming Samsung's latest foldable. In the end, the difference may be too small to matter for most buyers. Whether the Magic V5 is a fraction of a millimeter thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 probably won't impact day-to-day use. But in a competitive market where every detail is marketed as a key differentiator, Honor's claim was always going to face scrutiny. As for myself, I'm still in the camp of not understanding the industry's obsession with thin devices. Sure, they look nice, and I appreciate the aesthetic — but it definitely does not personally hold any merit when it comes to choosing a device. I tend to value function over looks, but if holding the title of "world's slimmest foldable" is so important to OEMs, it is at least important to make sure there's a set standard in how we choose to measure it, rather than leaving it up to interpretation. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer


Phone Arena
07-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Hands-on video could reveal that Samsung has made a surprise decision about the Fold 7 camera
The other day, we showed you hands-on images of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Today, just a couple of days before Samsung unpacks the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 , Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, the Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, and the Galaxy Watch 8 Ultra, we have a short hands-on video of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for you to see. The short 19-second clip was posted on X by @UniverseIce. However, there is an issue with the video that has many questioning its legitimacy. Last month, there was a report stating that for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 , Samsung had decided to do away with the Under-Display Camera (UDC) used on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Instead, because the quality of photos taken with the UDC were not up to snuff, Sammy is expected to bring back the punch hole camera for the internal display. Looking at the video purportedly showing off the Fold 7 's internal display, we don't see that punch hole camera, which means one of the following is true: The previous rumors about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 losing the UDC were wrong. losing the UDC were wrong. The punch hole camera on the internal screen just can't be seen in the video. The device in the video is the Galaxy Z Fold 6 , not the Galaxy Z Fold 7 . Another possibility is that the point of the tweet and the embedded video was lost on everyone. The tweet says, "Goodbye Fold6, hello Fold7." This could have been the well-known leaker's way of saying goodbye to his Galaxy Z Fold 6 . However, if this is the case, why show a video that tests how smoothly the device runs and how quickly apps open? We might not know the answer until Wednesday, when Samsung introduces the latest iteration of its book-style foldable. Goodbye Fold6, hello Fold7. — PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) July 6, 2025 As noted, the video inside the tweet shows how responsive the device starring in the video is. If it is the Galaxy Fold 7 , we expect it to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 application processor (AP), the same chip used to power all Galaxy S25 series handsets. The internal Dynamic AMOLED display is rumored to weigh in at 8.2 inches with a 2160 x 1856 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED cover screen features a 2376 x968 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone is said to be equipped with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The rear-camera array is believed to include a 200 MP primary camera, a 12 MP Telephoto camera, and a 10 MP Telephoto camera. The battery will reportedly have a 4400 mAh capacity. Is the phone in the video a Fold 7 or a Fold 6? We should know all in two days. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer