If you ever doubted that Samsung would revive its Galaxy S25 Edge tech in the Galaxy S26, think again. A new Samsung leak reveals that the company is planning to launch a slimmer phone in 2026.
This story was updated on November 11th with new Galaxy S26 images and design details.
Long-time leaker Ice Universe, who has a solid track record, posted on X that the base Galaxy S26 will measure just 6.9mm thick—presumably without the camera bump. That’s 0.3mm slimmer than the current base Galaxy S25 model.
Ice Universe also shared a sketch of the Galaxy S26, revealing more details about the device’s design. There are the expected three rear camera sensors, although they now have a pill-shaped layout similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
There’s also a new Qi2 charging coil built into the chassis. This likely means the Galaxy S26 series will support full Qi2 wireless charging, unlike its predecessors, which required a case to use the charger that magnetically snaps to the phone’s back.
Why Has Samsung Changed the Galaxy S26 Design?
Samsung spent a lot of time and money developing the ultra-slim Galaxy S25 Edge. The result was a phone that was thinner than the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The company created a new mounting system that allowed components to be placed closer together, making more room for a larger battery in the available space.
The problem, of course, was battery life despite the internal space savings. Reviewers found the 3900mAh battery lasted around 12 hours, compared to nearly 16 hours on the base Galaxy S25 and 17 hours on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
That same technology made its way into the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but without the battery life compromises. Samsung said it actually lasted one hour longer than the Fold 6—and that matched my testing.
I suspect whatever software efficiencies Samsung unearthed in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be further improved for the Galaxy S26 series. Denser carbon-silicon batteries, which deliver more battery life without taking up extra space, could also be a factor.
The design benefits of slimmer phones were immediately obvious to me the second I picked up the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and iPhone Air. The former, in particular, truly benefited from the reduced thickness—the weight loss turned a foldable phone into something that felt like a regular one.
A slim yet durable handset is central to Samsung’s mission to dominate the premium Android space. If Samsung can make the Galaxy S26 (and future phones) slimmer without compromising the experience, it will.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Release Date
Reports surfaced was an expectation that Samsung would release the Galaxy S26 later than usual, with the phone landing on February 25th instead of the typical end of January launch.
But new details from Korean business and finance site, ChosunBiz, who spoke with source at Samsung, claims that the Korean company will stick with its original announcement date of late January. With the Galaxy S26 series going on sale in February—the exact same launch plan as the Galaxy S25 lineup.
The reason for the confusion, according to ChosunBiz’s source, was because of Samsung’s late-in-the-day plan to drop the Galaxy S26 Edge in favour of the Galaxy S26+, which was expected to cause a delay in the hardware verification period. But that was resolved, paving the way for a February release date.
Update, November 11th: Android Headlines and tipster OnLeaks has acquired CAD images of the Galaxy S26 Plus, along with some more design details. It now looks almost certain that the ultra-slim Edge brand won’t replace the Galaxy S26 Plus, which is likely due to the phone’s poor sales and mixed reception regarding battery life.
Instead, Samsung will launch the Galaxy S26 Plus—as it has done in previous years—with a familiar design. The device looks very similar to the Galaxy S25 Plus, with the exception of the new camera island, which now has a pill-shaped design, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
The Edge design appears to have been dropped, too. The Galaxy S26 Plus will be 7.35mm thick, similar to the Galaxy S25 Plus’s 7.3mm, and much chunkier than the Galaxy S25 Edge’s 5.8mm. What we don’t know is if Samsung has fully dropped the Galaxy Edge brand, or if it is planning to launch the Galaxy S26 Edge in May 2026, as it did with the Galaxy S25 Edge.
