Latest news with #UniverseIce
GSM Arena
10 hours ago
- GSM Arena
Galaxy S26 Ultra's updated design leaks in new render
Add this to the Galaxy S26 Ultra leaks, Samsung will bring a thinner and lighter flagship with key upgrades to its screen, cameras and charging speed. The new report comes via UniverseIce, who holds a solid track record with Samsung devices and we also get a render of the device. Ice believes that the S26 Ultra is getting thinner and will now measure below 8mm. For reference, the S25 Ultra is 8.2mm thick. Galaxy S26 Ultra render (@UniverseIce) Not only that, but the upcoming Ultra will be slightly wider and taller than its predecessor (162.8 x 77.6mm) while also weighing slightly less than the current Ultra's 218 grams. The tipster shared a render of how the S26 Ultra might look. We can spot the updated camera island, which is carrying three of the four camera modules. This would be a big change for the Galaxy S Ultra series, as the past four iterations all feature camera cutouts instead of an island formation. Speaking of cameras, UniverseIce believes the S26 Ultra is getting an updated 200MP main sensor with a larger aperture alongside a new 3x telephoto lens and a wider aperture on the 5x periscope module. Samsung is also expected to bring a new 6.9-inch AMOLED display featuring a Color-on-Emitter (CoE) depolarizer layer. This should offer improved color accuracy and brightness output while also drawing less power. CoE OLED panels integrate the color filter directly into the light-emitting layer. The new leak also suggests the S26 Ultra is getting an updated third-generation anti-reflective glass treatment. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra The other big upgrade? Faster wired charging. The new report suggests 60W speeds which will be a modest yet welcome update over the 45W capabilities of the S24 Ultra and its predecessors. Sadly, the battery capacity is once again rumored to remain at 5,000mAh. Source
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Android Authority
Leaker explains Samsung's plans to juggle Android updates and flagship launches
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16's early release schedule has shaken up platform update plans across OEMs. For Samsung, a new leak clarifies that the company will launch major One UI version bumps alongside the Android platform bump, coinciding them with the launch of the Galaxy Z series flagships. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S series flagships will be the first to feature One UI x.5 versions, which ironically will include more substantial UI/UX changes and new features. Google's changes to Android 16's release schedule have shaken up the entire Android ecosystem's software release schedule. With Android 16 releasing earlier than usual, phone manufacturers have had to rethink some of their phone launches, as they risked launching flagships that did not ship with the latest Android version on board. Samsung extensively delayed One UI 7 rollout for the benefit of the Galaxy S25 series, and even jumped to One UI 8 for the benefit of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. A new leak is now clarifying how Samsung's update schedule will proceed in light of these changes. Noted leaked UniverseIce shared an explanation of Samsung's future update schedule. The leaker mentions that Samsung will now seemingly look to align major One UI version updates with Google's Android platform releases. For instance, One UI 8 is based on Android 16, and you can expect One UI 9 to be based on Android 17. These platform jumps will be aligned with the release of a new generation of Galaxy Z flagships, so you can expect the Galaxy Z Fold 8 to launch with One UI 9 based on Android 17 sometime next year. Changes are expected for Galaxy S flagships, too. These phones will now be the first to receive updates for One UI x.5 version releases. You'd think that Samsung would have expended all of its key features with the primary platform jump intended for the Galaxy Z flagship, but leaker UniverseIce says that the company will be reserving major changes for this point-five release on the Galaxy S flagship. For example, you can expect new UI/UX, AI features, and software enhancements to come with One UI 8.5 that will launch with the Galaxy S26 series, which will release sometime in early 2026. The leaker further mentions that the Galaxy S series remains Samsung's flagship priority. The development timeline from Z Fold to S flagships is longer, so the updates also get more time to be refined. This change helps make the Galaxy S-series flagships even more important, while the Galaxy Z series flagships can pull their own weight with bleeding-edge foldable tech. However, I continue to dislike that Samsung would be holding off on updates artificially just to squeeze some exclusivity for its latest hardware. Even Apple doesn't do so, with all iPhones getting the latest iOS update on day one, often before the freshest, newest iPhone reaches consumers. Older Galaxy flagship users deserve better than such artificial delays, and I hope Samsung at least begins stable rollout on the same day as it launches new hardware.
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Phone Arena
And just like that, the most unnecessary Galaxy S26 model has become my most anticipated 2026 phone
As it turns out, I may have been perfectly justified to doubt the , but at the same time, I'm starting to get what Galaxy S26 Edge might be an entirely different story. As it turns out, I may have been perfectly justified to doubt the S25 Edge's chances to achieve global box-office hit status , but at the same time, I'm starting to get what Samsung is doing here. No, I'm not saying I would ever consider buying a 6.7-inch smartphone with a gorgeous (and power-hungry) LTPO AMOLED 2X screen and an underwhelming (to say the least) 3,900mAh battery in tow, but next year'sEdge might be an entirely different story. Forget the S26 Ultra, this could be the real MVP of Samsung's 2026 high-end roster Am I getting a little too excited after just one (fairly vague) rumor ? Perhaps, but darn it, I need some hope in my life after so many disappointingly repetitive Galaxy S Ultra flagships, not to mention the latest speculation calling for an unchanged 5,000mAh battery and only slightly upgraded charging speeds on the S26 Ultra Confirmed: The Galaxy S26 Edge will be thinner than the S25 Edge and have a larger battery thanks to new battery material technology. — PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) July 23, 2025 need to believe that the S26 Edge will considerably improve the modest cell size of its predecessor while further slimming down that already drool-worthy 5.8mm waist. Technically, of course, the wording of @UniverseIce's X post from yesterday leaves the door open for slight upgrades to, say, 4,000mAh battery capacity and a 5.7mm profile, but if you'll allow me, I will continue to dream with my eyes open of a premium Realistic or not, Ito believe that theEdge will considerably improve the modest cell size of its predecessor while further slimming down that already drool-worthy 5.8mm waist. Technically, of course, the wording of @UniverseIce's X post from yesterday leaves the door open for slight upgrades to, say, 4,000mAh battery capacity and a 5.7mm profile, but if you'll allow me, I will continue to dream with my eyes open of a premium Samsung phone with at least a 4,500mAh juicer and 5.5mm or so thickness. Galaxy S26 Edge couldn't bring that latter number down to 5.5 or 5.6mm and the former to... 5,000mAh (or even more) when the display size is expected to sit at 6.66 inches. Is such a thing even possible in today's mobile industry? I strongly believe so, and the evidence comes from China (where else?). If the OnePlus 13T can pair a 6,260mAh silicon-carbon battery with a 6.32-inch screen while measuring 8.2mm in depth, I don't see why theEdge couldn't bring that latter number down to 5.5 or 5.6mm and the former to... 5,000mAh (or even more) when the display size is expected to sit at 6.66 inches. Are you as excited as I am about the Galaxy S26 Edge? Pretty much I'm even more excited Not even close I'm waiting to hear more before forming an opinion Pretty much 0% I'm even more excited 0% Not even close 0% I'm waiting to hear more before forming an opinion 0% Granted, there are still some risks and downsides associated with switching from traditional lithium-ion to silicon-carbon battery technology (which is a type of lithium-ion material too, mind you), but I feel like the Galaxy S Edge line could be the ideal home for such risks and experiments. Should there still be a Galaxy S26 Plus model? That, my friends, might be the million-dollar question Samsung needs to answer over the next few months and that I'm personally ambivalent about right now. On one hand, we all know Galaxy S Plus devices have never been particularly popular for fairly obvious reasons, costing too much to replace their Ultra siblings for more cash-strapped buyers and cutting too many corners (especially compared to said Ultra models) to bid for the title of best Android phone Galaxy S26 Plus would probably free the S26 Edge from some of the pressure inevitably linked with the aforementioned risks of adopting groundbreaking new battery technology and potentially making the S25 Edge On the other hand, aPlus would probably free theEdge from some of the pressure inevitably linked with the aforementioned risks of adopting groundbreaking new battery technology and potentially making the's design even more susceptible to both short and long-term destruction. Galaxy S26 Edge between the "vanilla" and the state-of-the-art S26 Ultra , thus essentially replacing two different devices with one Edge model, that's going to make me even more excited about this next super-slim flagship, suggesting great faith from its manufacturer in its box-office potential. Of course, if Samsung does decide to only slot theEdge between the "vanilla" Galaxy S26 and the state-of-the-art, thus essentially replacing two different devices with one Edge model, that's going to make me even more excited about this next super-slim flagship, suggesting great faith from its manufacturer in its box-office potential. Now, I'm obviously not saying that the S26 Edge will outsell the S26 Ultra (or the compact Galaxy S26 ), but after a confusing fourth member of the S25 family that doesn't seem to be going anywhere in terms of global popularity, it could well mark the beginning of a beautiful, highly successful, risk-taking, and trend-setting handset (sub) family. To say that I've never been a big fan of the Galaxy S25 Edge would probably be the understatement of the year. After all, I went on record not only once but twice ahead of the official announcement of the ultra-thin Android powerhouse to voice not just my skepticism that the phone could ever become a commercial success, but my complete inability to understand... the existence of this device.
Phone Arena
5 days 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
6 days 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
